11 Feb 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, Uncategorized
Twenty-five Lebanese Shiite publishing houses have been barred from exhibiting books during the annual fair in Manama on 17 March 2010. Al Wassat daily newspaper reports that although a black list has been issued by the Bahraini authorities, the publishing houses are yet to be officially notified. The Bahraini Ministry of Information denies responsibility for the ban and the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights suggest it may have been issued by the National Security Apparatus.
30 Oct 09 | Uncategorized
This is a guest post by Sarah El-Richani
Although Beirut is generally regarded as an oasis of freedom in a largely repressed region, the continuing censorship of the arts there is threatening to tarnish this image. While the press and TV, particularly after the Syrian withdrawal in 2005, report freely, an antiquated prior-censorship tradition has left the arts to the mercy of the gendarmes.
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11 Aug 09 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Saudi authorities have closed an office of an Arab TV station after it broadcast an interview with a man speaking frankly about sex and showing off erotic toys, a government official said today. Abdul-Rahman al-Hazza, spokesman for the ministry of culture and information, said the office of LBC, a Lebanese-based satellite TV station was closed because of the programme and because it was unlicensed. “The closure is indefinite,” Hazza said. The Saudi man, Mazen Abdul-Jawad, has been in detention since last Friday. Read more here
23 Jun 09 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Released political prisoner and writer Abd Al-Monem Monieb was detained in Cairo airport for 45 minutes by state security officers. Their actions prohibited him from travelling to Lebanon where he was due to publicise his book on Islam in Egypt. Read more here
