2013

  
A security officer fires rubber bullets at Star photographer Motshwari Mofokeng. (The Star)

Photographers attacked: Two weeks in southern Africa

From Cape Town to Lilongwe, four photographers on routine news assignments in major southern Africa cities were assaulted by security officials in the past two weeks. The details differ, but the heavy-handed actions in each case reflect a belief among those responsible for security that they are above the law and not publicly accountable. These…

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Violent clashes between police and protesters have led to the deputy prime minister issuing a veiled threat to impose Internet restrictions. (AP/Burhan Ozbilici)

In Turkey, threats to restrict Internet, journalists attacked

Istanbul, June 5, 2013–Turkish authorities should not interfere with the free flow of information online or in any other media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today after a senior government official suggested Internet restrictions could be in the offing. 

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Tens of thousand of people commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Hong Kong's Victoria Park. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

A poor defense of censorship on Tiananmen anniversary

Today, the 24th anniversary of the brutal crackdown in Tiananmen Square, a Chinese state-run newspaper ran a piece justifying censorship of the Web by citing recent attempts at media regulation abroad.

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CPJ rejects Egyptian ruling against civil society

New York, June 4, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is dismayed by today’s conviction of 43 individuals affiliated with international nonprofit organizations on charges of working illegally in Egypt. CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour was sentenced to two years in prison based on the work he did with Freedom House,…

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This screenshot shows Singapore Minister of Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim telling a BBC interviewer that new license regulations will ensure users see the 'right' content online. (BBC)

Singapore bloggers wary of news site license scheme

Singapore’s Internet community is in backlash since the government announced on May 28 a new licensing scheme for “news websites”–a term it did not define–arguing that digital news platforms ought to be regulated on par with offline media. The government said the scheme would take effect June 1.

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Authorities block hundreds of websites in Jordan

New York, June 3, 2013–The Jordanian government announced plans on Sunday to block more than 300 websites for failing to register under the Press and Publications Law, news sources reported. Access to several of the sites has already been blocked within the country, the reports said.

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A TV crew films near a vandalized news vehicle in Taksim Square. (Reuters/Stoyan Nenov)

Reports of anti-press attacks amid Turkey protests

Istanbul, June 3, 2013–The press has come under fire from both government officials and protesters amid nationwide demonstrations in Turkey, with instances of attacks, obstruction, detention, and vandalism being reported, according to news accounts and local journalists.

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Authorities pursue legal action against Egyptian journalists

The Al-Dokki Criminal Court on May 28, 2013, sentenced Islam Afifi, former editor-in-chief of Al-Dustour newspaper, to a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (US$1,431) after convicting him of libel against Essam al-Eryan, a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood. Al-Eryan filed a complaint against Afifi after the journalist published a report in June 2012 that alleged…

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