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media & freedom of expression
Angola: Trial of journalist begins
2012-05-15, Issue 585
The trial of journalist Ramiro Aleixo began on 11 May, 2012, at the Luanda Provincial Court, in Angola. Aleixo stands accused of the crimes of defamation, slander and injury against the military justice system, namely its Supreme Court and office of the military attorney. From a legal standpoint, the accusation against Mr. Aleixo has two serious flaws, says the blog makaangola.org.
Zambia: Hope for media freedom protection as draft constitution is launched
2012-05-15, Issue 585
On 30 April 2012, Chairperson of the Technical Committee On Drafting The Zambian Constitution (TCDZC), Justice Annel Silungwe launched the 2012 First Draft Constitution for purposes of wide consultation with the public. The committee started work on the draft charter on 1 December 2011 and was supposed to have produced the draft in February 2012 but failed to do so. Regardless, this first draft consists of several progressive articles and clauses on media freedom, freedom of express, right to access information and even freedom to state-owned media.
Rwanda: Radio presenter held pending trial
2012-05-15, Issue 585
Reporters Without Borders has deplored community radio presenter Habarugira Epaphrodite's detention since 24 April in the main prison of Gitarama, the capital of Muhanga district, on a charge of 'minimizing' the 1994 Tutsi genocide and 'spreading genocide ideology'. Epaphrodite was arrested because, while reading a report about ceremonies marking the 18th anniversary of the genocide on community radio Huguka's morning new broadcast on 22 April, he mixed up the Kinyarwanda words for 'victims' and 'survivors', making it sound as though he approved of the genocide.
Morocco: Rapper sentenced to one year in prison for criticising police
2012-05-15, Issue 585
The sentencing of a rapper on 11 May 2012 to one year in prison for 'insulting the police' shows the gap between the strong free-expression language in Morocco's 2011 constitution and the continuing intolerance for those who criticize state institutions, Human Rights Watch said. The sentence was handed down one week before the opening of the international Mawazine music festival in Rabat, which is held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI. Mouad Belghouat, better known as 'al-Haqed' (the sullen one), has been in pretrial custody since March 29 because of his rap song 'Kilab ed-Dowla' (Dogs of the State), which denounces police corruption, and a YouTube video set to the song.
Uganda: Video director gunned down
2012-05-16, Issue 585
Independent TV director Amon Thembo Wa’Mupaghasya was shot dead at around 1am on 12 May as he was returning to his home on the outskirts of the western city of Kasese after covering a wedding. Thembo was gunned down by unidentified individuals who took his bag and video camera. The police have arrested several suspects but have not yet said what they think the motive was. Kasese is located near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Swaziland: New bill will 'close down the press'
2012-05-17, Issue 585
The Swaziland Government has been accused of trying to close down the press with the publication of a new Bill to bar public servants from disclosing any information about their work that relates to ‘public policy’. They will also be prevented from talking about the economic strategy of the kingdom. The new Public Service Bill also states civil servants must not ‘publish in any manner anything which may be reasonably regarded as of a political or administrative nature’.
Egypt: Al-Alam Channel raided; equipment seized
2012-05-17, Issue 585
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) has denounced the crackdown of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) and Security Services on the freedoms and rights acquired by the Egyptian people after the revolution. 'ANHRI considers the raid on the office of al-Alam news channel in Cairo on May 13th as a new episode in the series of stifling press freedom and clamping down on media work in Egypt for exposing the violations committed in the transitional phase.'
Mali: Journalists accuse military authorities of tapping their telephones
2012-05-17, Issue 585
Journalists in Mali are accusing the military authorities of illegally tapping their telephones as a means of silencing critical opinion in the country. The accusation followed the arrest and subsequent detention of Birama Fall, managing editor of Le Prétoire, a privately-owned Bamako-based bi-weekly newspaper on May 12, 2012. The authorities had illegally listened to Fall’s phone conversation with a former government minister over civilian deaths during the recent counter coup attempt. Fall was, however, released after two hours without charge.
Ghana: Incidence of indecent expression on radio goes up
2012-05-20, Issue 585
Media Foundation for West Africa,in its bid to promote issues-based and decent language campaigning in Ghana’s 2012 elections, launched a project to monitor and report indecent expression by politicians and political activists in the campaign process. The level of indecent expression increased from nine in the fourth week to 24 in the fifth week covering the period April 29 to May 5, 2012.
South Africa: Tambo daughter tells Zuma to get over it
2012-05-21, Issue 585
The daughter of the late ANC veteran Oliver Tambo showed little sympathy for President Jacob Zuma's complaint about a portrait of himself exposing his genitals, The Star reported on Monday. Tselane Tambo posted the following message on a social networking site: 'So the Pres JZ has had his portrait painted and he doesn't like it...He should inspire the reverence he craves...' The 1.85m-high painting titled The Spear is part of Brett Murray's Hail to the Thief II exhibition at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg. The portrait has sparked debate about freedom of expression and the right to dignity and privacy.
Nigeria: Daily abuses suffered by journalists
2012-05-09, Issue 584
Following World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, Reporters Without Borders has taken a look at the breaches of freedom of news and information in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2012. During the period in question, Reporters Without Borders recorded: the murder of one journalist, the killing of another with no proof that it was linked to the victim’s work, nine assaults, seven arrests, three journalists threatened, four instances of seizure of equipment or deletion of files, three cases of access to information being cut off, three court cases against journalists and news organisations, the closure of a press centre and a media outlet’s premises vandalised.
Egypt: Protecting free expression and information in new constitution
2012-05-09, Issue 584
The new Constitution of Egypt is on the verge of being drafted. In order to support the forthcoming work of the drafters, ARTICLE 19 has produced a comprehensive policy brief outlining how the new Constitution should protect the right to freedom of expression and freedom of information. The brief is based on international legal standards on freedom of expression, including the decisions of international and regional human rights courts as well as the authoritative interpretation of international human rights law by the UN Human Rights Committee, regional mechanisms and other bodies, such as the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression.
Sudan: Drop the pending charges against Sudanese journalist Abuzar Al Amin
2012-05-09, Issue 584
Abuzar Al Amin, former deputy editor-in-chief of Rai Al Shaab, a Sudanese newspaper affiliated with the opposition Popular Congress Party, was arrested in May 2010. He was convicted and sentenced to five year’s imprisonment. Abuzar Al Amin was finally released on bail on 22 August 2011. However, the charges against him have not been dropped and he has not been brought before a court. As a result, he is currently limited in his capacity to work due to the risk of re-arrest.
Mali: Students ransack radio station
2012-05-10, Issue 584
Ghana-based sub-regional press freedom body Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has said that some students in Mali ransacked a private radio station, 'Radio Kayira', destroyed broadcasting equipment worth about FCFA 18 million approximately (US$3,571,950), and stole more than FCFA 2 million (about US$398,556) in cash.
Burundi: Prosecutor requests life sentence for journalist
2012-05-14, Issue 584
State prosecutors requested a life sentence for Burundian radio reporter Hassan Ruvakiki who was imprisoned after airing a November interview with a purported rebel leader, according to news reports. Chief Prosecutor Barbatus Ntakarusho made the request during a hearing at a court in Cankuzo, a city in eastern Burundi, saying the reporter had engaged in 'acts of terrorism', the journalist's defense lawyer, Onesime Kabayabaya, told CPJ. Ruvakiki is a reporter for the French government-funded Radio France Internationale and the local station Radio Bonesha FM.
Ethiopia: New pre-censorship printing directive
2012-05-14, Issue 584
Ethiopia's main, state-owned printing company has directed newspaper publishers to censor any content that may draw government prosecution under the country's anti-terrorism law or face cancellation of their printing contracts, according to local journalists and news reports.
Eritrea: Eritrea is world's most censored country, says report
2012-05-02, Issue 583
Eritrea is the world's most censored country, a new analysis by watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists has found, beating out both North Korea and Syria. Equatorial Guinea also makes it on the list of the world's ten most censored countries in the report released ahead of the World Press Freedom Day.
Ghana: Language use ahead of election monitored
2012-05-02, Issue 583
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has presented the maiden report of its language monitoring project, which is aimed at promoting issues-based and decent language campaigning in this year’s elections. The first report was based on monitoring for the first week of April (April 1 to 7, 2012). The report covers findings on the second week of monitoring (April 8 to 14, 2012). In all, monitoring reports were received from 15 out of the 31 selected radio stations that are being monitored under the project. This report is, therefore, based on data gathered from the 15 radio stations, which have been named in the report.
Ethiopia: Censoring of newspapers ordered
2012-05-02, Issue 583
The Ethiopian government has activated a highly restrictive clause which authorises printers to censor the content of newspapers and other publications in the country. The new legal directive forced printers to take the responsibility of the reports or any other contents in any newspaper and other publications.
Uganda: Media houses in self-censorship, says new report
2012-05-03, Issue 583
As Uganda joined the global community in marking World Press Freedom Day, research shows that some media houses in the country have caved in to pressure from the State and no longer report on critical issues affecting the country. Speaking at the release of a report titled: ‘Media Liberalisation in Uganda: Threatening Journalists’ Rights and Freedom’, in Kampala, Mulindwa Mukasa, the executive board chairperson of Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ) said: 'During the Buganda riots, media houses were closed while others were sternly warned to desist from covering the events of the riots. This forced some media houses to lay-off objective journalists and replace them with less critical ones.'
Somalia: Reporter shot dead
2012-05-03, Issue 583
Gunmen have shot dead a journalist in Somalia - the fifth such killing this year. Farhan Jeemis Abdulle, a reporter for Radio Daljir, was shot by masked men as he left his office in the north-central town of Galkayo, his colleagues say.
Africa: Governments of Somalia and Ethiopia Should Respect ACHPR Resolutions
2012-05-06, Issue 583
The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network has welcomed two resolutions adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) raising concerns about the situation of journalists in Somalia and Ethiopia. The 51st Ordinary Session of the ACHPR that took place in Banjul, The Gambia, began on 18th April and concluded 2 May 2012. Members of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (EHAHRD-Net) and its secretariat actively participated in the Commission session, as well as the NGO Forum that took place on 14th-16th April.
Swaziland: Media freedom amongst the worst globally
2012-05-06, Issue 583
Swaziland is at position 168 among 197 nations in the world for media freedom in a survey just published by Freedom House. The kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, is at number 40 among 49 countries in Africa. Freedom House concludes that the media in Swaziland is ‘not free’.
Egypt: 18 journalists assaulted, injured or arrested in Cairo
2012-05-06, Issue 583
At least 18 journalists have been assaulted, injured, or arrested in the past three days (from 5 May), while covering clashes between protesters and thugs and uniformed military personnel in front of the defense ministry in the neighbourhood of Abbassiya in Cairo. The report comes from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Egypt: Arabic directory for social media websites
2012-05-06, Issue 583
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) and the Tunisian Center for Freedom of the Press have announced a training directory entitled 'Internet and Freedom of Expression'. It is the first Arabic directory containing six of the social media websites and online blogs with an explanation of how to design campaigns over the internet. This was in the occassion of International Day for the freedom of the press in Tunisia.
Ghana: Indecent language monitored ahead of elections
2012-05-06, Issue 583
This report covers the findings of the third week (April 15 to 21, 2012) of monitoring language use on radio under Media Foundation for West Africa’s project on: Promoting issues-based and decent language campaigning in Ghana’s 2012 elections, funded by STAR-Ghana. For the week under review, indecent expressions were recorded on a total of 14 programmes aired on 11 out of the 31 radio stations being monitored under the project.
Zimbabwe: Minister threatens press crackdown
2012-05-06, Issue 583
ZANU PF’s information minister Webster Shamu has threatened a crackdown on the independent media in the country warning that 'the gloves may soon be off'. Shamu was speaking at a Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) function in Harare that was meant to celebrate World Press Freedom Day.
Global: Rio to gather free media
2012-05-07, Issue 583
Hundreds of representatives of free media are getting ready to go to Rio de Janeiro, in June 2012, to help to prepare the Peoples’ Summit at Rio+20, a parallel event to the UN Conference on sustainable development. They will work to spread the voice of the people gathered at the Summit, who instead of talking about the management of the environment by economic power, will speak about the ways for the environmental and social justice.
Global: 2012 looking to be deadliest year for media, says International Press Institute
2012-04-24, Issue 582
The recent deaths of journalists in Nigeria, Lebanon, Somalia and Indonesia bring the number of journalists killed so far in 2012 to 36 - which means this year is on track to be the deadliest for the media since International Press Institute (IPI) began keeping records in 1997. 'We are witnessing, by a significant margin, the deadliest start to a year for the media in recent memory,' IPI executive director Alison Bethel McKenzie said. 'As movements for democracy spread across the world, journalists - whose work is critical to any free society - are increasingly coming under violent attack.'
Global: 'Academic spring' strives to open up science
2012-04-25, Issue 582
One of the world's largest funders of science is to throw its weight behind a growing campaign to break the stranglehold of academic journals and allow all research papers to be shared online. Nearly 9,000 researchers have already signed up to a boycott of journals that restrict free sharing as part of a campaign dubbed the 'academic spring' by supporters due to its potential for revolutionising the spread of knowledge.
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