Attacks on the Press 2004: South Korea
South Korea Innovative news coverage on the Internet added fresh viewpoints to the South Korean media, but the ruling Uri Party’s proposal for newspaper reform caused concern in 2004. The active and varied media, while politically divided, avidly covered political scandals, including the messy impeachment of President Roh Moo Hyun in March. While local television…
Attacks on the Press 2004: Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka The fragile cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) deteriorated in 2004, heightening tensions and challenges for the nation and its media. Even after a devastating tsunami in late December killed more than 30,000 people, the divisions held fast and hampered initial relief efforts. Tamil…
Attacks on the Press 2004: Taiwan
TaiwanIn 2004, the competitive and outspoken Taiwanese press reported critically on the government, corruption, and world affairs. Taiwanese journalists faced largely economic pressures, and the highly partisan coverage of a contentious election year raised questions about financial and political influence over the press.
Attacks on the Press 2004: Thailand
ThailandPopulist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s press freedom record has been less than stellar since he took office in 2001. His political and financial interference, legal intimidation, and coercion continued to have a chilling effect on critical voices in the Thai press in 2004.
Attacks on the Press 2004: Tonga
TongaThe Tongan media won a great victory in 2004, when the Supreme Court in the capital, Nuku’alofa, reversed legislation aimed at stifling the nation’s independent press. The decision brought the New Zealand–based, Tongan-language newspaper Taimi ‘o Tonga (Times of Tonga), known for its independent coverage, back to the newsstands after an absence of several months.
Attacks on the Press 2004: Vietnam
VietnamDespite U.S. and international pressure, Vietnam showed few signs of relaxing its choke hold on the press in 2004. While maintaining control of traditional media, the government intensified its crackdown on Internet dissent. “Vietnam’s press has been developing stronger than ever,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Le Dung told foreign reporters in March in response…
PHILIPPINES
JULY 3, 2005 Updated: August 10, 2005 Rolando “Dodong” Morales, dxMD KILLED—CONFIRMED The radio commentator was ambushed and shot at least 15 times by a gang of motorcycle-riding assailants while driving home on the southern island of Mindanao. Morales, who died at the scene, had just finished hosting his weekly program on radio dxMD in…
SINGAPORE
MARCH 11, 2005 Posted: April 8, 2005 Martyn See, documentary filmmaker THREATENED, CENSORED Independent documentary filmmaker Martyn See pulled his short documentary, “Singapore Rebel”, from the Singapore International Film Festival after officials warned him that he might face criminal charges if the film was screened at the festival in April. The film chronicles the civil…
Abducted journalist released; captors’ identity in question
New York, March 11, 2005—Journalist JB Pun Magar was released today after three days in captivity. The Himal Khabarpatrika reporter called the magazine’s office in Kathmandu today from Butwal, where he is based, to say that his abductors released him unharmed at 9 a.m., according to news reports.