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HIGH COURT SUSPENDS ARUNDHATI ROY CONTEMPT HEARING

Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy is not yet out of the woods. On July 29, the Supreme Court postponed deciding whether to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Roy for publishing a highly critical essay about the social and environmental costs of Gujarat’s Sardar Sarovar dam, part of an ambitious irrigation and hydroelectric project along…

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THREE JOURNALISTS RELEASED

On August 2, 1999, Gambian security officials released three journalists of The Independentnewspaper from detention at National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banul. Baba Galleh Jallow, Yorrow Jallow, and Lamin Daffeh were told to report at NIA headquarters again on August 3 with all the necessary documents pertaining to the registration of the newspaper. The…

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Democratic Republic of Congo: Despite peace accord, no release in sight for two jailed journalists

July 29, 1999 His Excellency Laurent-Désiré Kabila President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Ngaliema, Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo Your Wxcellency, CPJ is greatly alarmed by the continued imprisonment of journalists Mbakulu Pambu Diambu and Godefroid Kiangwe Buleya. With the Lusaka peace accord now in place, we demand the immediate and unconditional release of…

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Belarus: Government wields defamation statutes to muzzle press

July 29, 1999 His Excellency Alexander Lukashenko President of Belarus Republic House of Government Minsk, Belarus 220020 VIA FAX: 011-375-172-23-58-25 Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply troubled by the alarming number of recent defamation cases filed against independent newspapers in Belarus, and by the ongoing harassment of journalists there.

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India: Dam essay lands writer Arundhati Roy in hot water

July 28, 1999 His Excellency Atal Behari Vajpayee Prime Minister of India Office of the Prime Minister South Block New Delhi 110 011, India Fax: 011-91-11-301-6857 Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned by the latest efforts to suppress discussion of the social and environmental costs of Gujarat’s Sardar Sarovar dam…

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Iran: Press crackdown continues

July 28, 1999 His Excellency Sayed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Guide to the Islamic Republic of Iran c/o the Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations 622 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 fax: 212.867.7086 Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international organization of journalists devoted to upholding press freedom worldwide, is…

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Panama: Turmoil over proposed gag law “reform”In the space of three days, the Panamanian government withdrew an obnoxious amendment to one of the country’s gag laws, and then proposed a second amendment that was no better.

July 28, 1999 –On July 28, two days after the Minister of Government and Justice withdrew her proposed amendment to a 1978 gag law in the face of national and international criticism, the Panamanian Cabinet approved an only slightly different amendment to the law. As a July 30 editorial of the Panama City-based daily La…

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Panamá: Agitación por modificación de ley mordaza

El 28 de julio, dos días después de que el Ministerio de Gobierno y Justicia retirara un proyecto para modificar una ley mordaza de 1978 ante protestas a nivel nacional e internacional, el Gabinete panameño aprobó un proyecto casi igual. Como dice un editorial del periódico La Prensa,de la ciudad de Panamá, el nuevo proyecto…

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Jordan: Intelligence agents snatch local journalist

July 27, 1999 His Majesty King Abdallah Ibn Hussein c/o Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 3504 International Drive, NW Washington, DC 20008 Your Majesty: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) wishes to protest the detention of Senan Shaqdeeh, a senior editor for the evening daily al-Masaeyyah,who was arrested at his home in Amman…

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Bulgaria: Mystery thugs maul reporter

July 26, 1999 His Excellency Petar Stoyanov President of the Republic of Bulgaria VIA FAX: 011 359 2 875 601/011 359 2 822 574 Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is greatly alarmed by the June 28th assault on journalist Alexei Lazarov in Sofia. Lazarov, a media reporter for the popular independent weekly…

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