Asia
2011
China confronts Internet rumors and trashy TV
Along with cracking down on what it considers trashy TV — China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) said Tuesday that it will limit entertainment and add more news and other programs that “build morality and promote the core values of socialism” — the government is going after what it calls rumor mongers…
From Karachi to New York: A tale of fear, loss, and hope
On Monday, a well-known Pakistani journalist came to our office in New York. We had been messaging and texting for a few weeks, so I knew what to expect. Despite the harsh reality check that CPJ’s Sheryl Mendez and I offered during our 90-minute meeting, he is going ahead with the process of applying for…
Thailand tries to censor site devoted to flood news
Bangkok, October 25, 2011 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government has tried to censor the citizen-journalist website Thaiflood, which has provided crucial news and information about massive flooding that has inundated one-third of the country’s provinces. At least 350 people have been killed and…
Holding intermediaries liable for users’ content
Earlier this month, I spoke as an expert witness in the ongoing trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, the editor of Thailand’s Prachatai.com website, who is being criminally prosecuted under that country’s Computer Crime Act and Lesé Majesté laws. The crime involves online posts allegedly disrespectful to Thailand’s monarchy, but Chiranuch herself is not accused of originating…
In Sri Lanka, anti-government website blocked
New York, October 19, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that access to anti-government news website Lanka eNews has been blocked inside Sri Lanka, according to the site’s exiled editor and users inside the country. All three language versions of the site, English, Sinhala, and Tamil, have not been available since Tuesday.
Baluchistan’s press under siege
Reporters in Pakistan’s conflict-stricken province of Baluchistan have been organizing to display their anger against the continued death threats they have been receiving from government secret services, religious militant groups, and armed nationalist organizations. Their most recent demonstration on October 1 was only one in a string of protests to confront the problem.
Watching Burma’s prisoner release
CPJ and other Burma watchers are monitoring the announcements of the unfolding prisoner release closely. As a press freedom organization, we’ve focused most closely on the fate of the 14 journalists we counted in jail in Shawn Crispin’s report, “In Burma, transition neglects press freedom” that we posted on September 20. In our alert today…
Blogger released in mass amnesty in Burma
Bangkok, October 12, 2011 – The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes today’s release of Burmese blogger and comedian Maung Thura, but reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of at least 13 other journalists on CPJ’s imprisoned list.