13 Sep 10 | Index Index, minipost
The government has decided to suspend the broadcasts of radio station, Radio Mahafaly. The staff at the station, based in the central city of Antsirabé, were not given a reason for its suspension. The order came at the same time as the release of ten Radio Fahazavana employees who have been in pre-trial detention since 27 May on charges for inciting a revolt and rebellion.
24 Aug 10 | Index Index, minipost
Carlos Flores, winner of the Index on Censorship and Guardian award for Journalism has won his fight to have his radio licence returned. Flores’ radio station, Radio La Voz, was closed by the Peruvian government for allegedly inciting violence in Bagua Grande in June 2009, when indigenous groups and villagers clashed with security forces. No official charges were ever brought against Flores. Just a few weeks ago Flores had travelled over 400km to attend a scheduled meeting regarding the reopening of the station, only to be met by a junior minister and told Radio La Voz would remain closed.
10 Aug 10 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
Reports from Khartoum state that the Sudanese government has suspended BBC radio stations over alleged smuggling offences which included bringing satellite equipment into the country. The stations broadcast in Arabic to around four million people in the north of the country.
Recently the government demanded that journalists in the country provide private information regarding political views, friends, addresses, bank details and floor plans of their houses. The deadline for the return of this information was August 5. Since then the government has announced that it’s official censorship of newspapers has ended, but despite this, some newspapers remain closed and intimidation continues.
16 Jul 10 | Index Index, minipost
The SPP (Paraguayan Union of Journalists) has condemned the recent actions of politicians in the city of Cuidad del Este. Last week Juan Pío Balbuena had his programme cancelled on Radio Corpus after the owner of the station made a ‘business deal’ with local politician Javier Zacarías Irún, in which he agreed not to criticise Zacarías’s political group. Zacarías’ wife, Sandra Mcleod, is mayor of Ciudad del Este and was recently accused of attempting to bribe another Radio Corpus journalist to favour her party on air. He refused and was later forced to resign.
