You searched for "human rights" – Page 45 of 63

Gambia closes Teranga FM for the second time

August 16, 2012

The Gambian authorities have closed Teranga FM for the second time after warning the radio station to stop a program that translated reports from local newspapers into local languages. The International Press Institute (IPI) expressed its dismay at the news, and called on the authorities to recognise citizens’ right under the Universal Declaration of Human […]

Syrian free speech advocate to be tried in secret

August 10, 2012 Gunes Yildiz

Syria’s Air Force Intelligence has decided to try Syrian human rights lawyer Mazen Darwish, head of the Damascus-based Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), behind closed doors before a Military Field Court, Reuters reported yesterday. The news agency said that the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) expressed concern that Darwish might […]

Kazakh journalist hospitalised after attack

August 9, 2012 Steven M. Ellis

The International Press Institute (IPI) today called on authorities in Kazakhstan to investigate an attack that reportedly left a journalist in the capital city of Astana hospitalised with severe injuries. Unknown assailants beat Ularbek Baitailaq– a Kazakh National Archive employee, who has contributed articles to the opposition Dat weekly, the Chetvyortaya vlast (Fourth Estate) newspaper […]

GUEST BLOG: Imprisoned Turkish journalist Soner Yalçın

July 30, 2012 Soner Yalçın

SILIVRI, Turkey, July 30, 2012 – YOU ARE MY PARTNER IN CRIME “Is there anybody out there?” Every now and then, in my prison cell, where there is a water shortage for 17 hours, the lights are on for 24 hours, and where I am being monitored by two different cameras at all times, I find […]

SEEMO condemns attack against Bosnian and Herzegovinian journalist

July 20, 2012

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the physical attack against the Bosnian and Herzegovinian journalist Stefica Galic, editor-in-chief of the web portal tacno.net. Galic was beaten on 18 July 2012 in Ljubuski, a small town 170 kilometres south of Sarajevo by a group of […]

Former policeman charged in Russia journalist murder

July 18, 2012 A.J. Wagner

Charges have been brought against former Moscow policeman Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov in the 2006 killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Politkovskaya, an outspoken critic of the Russian government, was shot by an assailant while in the elevator of her Moscow flat. She had sparked official anger through her investigative work, which focused on the war in […]

Eskinder Nega sentenced to 18 years in prison

July 13, 2012

The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly denounced the long prison sentences handed down to journalist and writer Eskinder Nega in Ethiopia today, as well as the punishments given to five other journalists who were tried in absentia, all of whom were convicted of “terrorism” in late June 2012. “We are saddened that despite international condemnation […]

IFEX-TMG salutes work of INRIC as media freedom body shuts down over obstruction

July 11, 2012

The International Freedom of Expression Exchange Tunisia Monitoring Group (IFEX-TMG), a coalition of 21 IFEX members, is deeply concerned by the prevailing uncertainty and obstruction that have led the National Authority to Reform Information and Communication (INRIC) to end its work. IFEX-TMG members are disturbed by the closure of INRIC, the repeated failures of the […]

Russian lawmaker seeks to re-criminalise libel

July 9, 2012 Gunes Yildiz

Russian legislators on Friday proposed a bill to recriminalise libel, a move that came just over six months after the crime was downgraded to an administrative offence. The Moscow Times reported yesterday that the bill would introduce maximum fines of approximately 500,000 roubles (approximately 12,324 euros) or up to five years in prison for libel, […]

Sudanese journalists under attack

July 4, 2012 Fatma Elshhati, IPI Staff

The International Press Institute (IPI) on Wednesday called on the Sudanese authorities to ensure that media covering demonstrations are permitted to do so without fear of attack or harassment, and that citizens have access to a range of political views including opposition voices. Restrictions on media freedom had worsened since the secession of South Sudan […]

Security forces raid offices of Turkish news agency

July 2, 2012 Gunes Yildiz

Turkish security forces on June 26 conducted a raid at the offices of the Istanbul-based Güneş News Agency as part of a large-scale operation against the underground Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), according to news sources. Police units carried out the search at the news agency, which oversees the technical affairs of Etkin News Agency and weekly […]

IPI General Assembly adopts six resolutions calling for greater press freedom

June 28, 2012

Meeting at their annual general assembly on June 25, the members of the International Press Institute (IPI) unanimously passed six resolutions calling on international organisations to rigorously address the issue of journalists’ safety; on the Mexican Federal Government to end impunity for the killers of journalists; on the Ethiopian Government to stop using anti-terror laws […]

Ethiopia convicts Eskinder Nega for “terrorism”

June 27, 2012

The undersigned organizations strongly condemned the conviction of blogger and journalist Eskinder Nega on terrorism charges earlier today. The conviction represents the criminalization of peaceful dissent in Ethiopia and is a clear violation of the rights of freedom of the press and freedom of expression. On June 27, Nega was found guilty of “participation in […]

SEEMO deplores decision of Kosovo parliament to keep media-unfriendly articles in criminal code

June 27, 2012

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), deplores the June 22, 2012 decision of the Kosovo parliament to keep media-unfriendly articles in the Criminal Code. It was the second time in two months that the parliament had voted in favour of the articles, which hold journalists criminally liable […]

Journalist’s verdict marks yet another dark day for Ethiopia’s press freedom

June 27, 2012 Barbara Trionfi

“Guilty as charged,” was the verdict pronounced by judge Endeshaw Adane in the trial against Ethiopian blogger and journalist Eskinder Nega that took place in Addis Ababa today. Nega was found guilty of “participation in a terrorist organisation” and “planning, preparation, conspiracy, incitement and attempt of (a) terrorist act.” He faces life in prison. During the […]

Free expression rapporteurs issue joint declaration

June 26, 2012 Steven M. Ellis

The world’s four free expression rapporteurs today unveiled a joint declaration calling for international mechanisms to address crimes against freedom of expression. UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Frank La Rue, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović, OAS Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression Catalina Botero and African Commission on […]

The Declaration of Port of Spain

The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 61st Annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress from 23 to 26 June, 2012 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Note that media outlets across the wider Caribbean may be subjected to a panoply of repressive measures, from jailing and persecution to […]

IPI General Assembly Resolution 2012: South African Secrecy Bill

The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 61st annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on June 25 2012 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, by unanimous vote expressed strong support for the call by 10 nation states at a recent meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Commission […]

IPI General Assembly Resolution 2012: Source Protection

The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 61st Annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on June 23, 2012 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, adopted by unanimous vote a resolution reaffirming the rights of journalists to use leaked information and to protect their sources, and called on governments […]

IPI General Assembly Resolution 2012: Ethiopia

The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 61st Annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on 23 June 2012 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, adopted by unanimous vote a resolution calling on the Ethiopian government to stop the use of anti-terror laws to jail journalists for doing their […]

IPI General Assembly Resolution 2012: Journalist Safety

The members of the International Press Institute, meeting at their 61st annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on June 25 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, adopted by unanimous vote a resolution calling on the United Nations and other international and regional organisations to develop and implement a more effective system to […]

IPI Director’s Report

Sunday, 24 June, 2012 See also: Opens internal link in current windowwww.freemedia.at http://www.ipiworldcongress.com/ @IPI_WoCo2012 Excellencies … colleagues … friends … ladies and gentlemen … Welcome again to IPI’s annual World Congress. Today … I am highly concerned … and deeply saddened. It is my unfortunate task to inform you that this year is shaping up […]

Venezuela: The fragile environment of information

June 21, 2012 Omareliz Pineda Araujo

The upcoming presidential elections on October 7th could mark a pivotal moment in the contemporary history of Venezuela. The prelude to this event has been marked by a dangerous series of conflicts between supporters and opponents of the current regime, whose consequences often limit the right to inform and be informed. The year 2012 began […]

Journalist Andrzej Poczobut arrested again

June 21, 2012 Piotr Stasiński, IPI Executive Board Member and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland

Andrzej Poczobut, Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza correspondent in Belarus, and Polish minority activist there, was arrested on Thursday in the town of Grodno, Belarus. At 4 pm police searched Andrzej’s apartment and took the journalist to prosecutor’s office. Andrzej was interrogated and arrested, Igor Bancer, his colleague from the Polish Union in Belarus, the organization banned […]

June attacks on journalists in MENA region

June 14, 2012 Fatma Elshhati

The International Press Institute (IPI) is concerned about the safety of journalists in the Middle East and North Africa following a number of press freedom violations that have been reported since the beginning of the month. Recent attacks on journalists in Lebanon, Iraq and Oman, and new laws on the table in Iraq, Egypt and […]

UK reporter claims Syria rebels wanted him shot by army

June 12, 2012 Naomi Hunt

The International Press Institute (IPI) today expressed concern over allegations made on Friday, June 8, in a blog post by Channel 4 reporter Alex Thomson, who claimed that members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) deliberately put him and his colleagues in the way of Syrian Army fire. Thomson, Channel 4’s anchor and chief correspondent, […]

Criminal libel laws in the Caribbean: “Ultimate consequence is silence, when expression is most needed.”

June 11, 2012

Lea en español Beginning this week, IPI will undertake a two-week, four-nation mission in the Caribbean to push for the repeal of criminal defamation laws. From June 9 to 22, IPI delegates will visit Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago to meet with representatives of government, media, and civil society. As part […]

EU telecommunications chief blasts amendments to Hungary’s media laws

June 8, 2012 Gunes Yildiz

Europe’s telecommunications chief blasted recently-adopted amendments to Hungary’s controversial media laws, telling Budapest-based daily newspaper Figyelo that the legislation remains “embarrassing” despite the revisions, Bloomberg reported yesterday. Neelie Kroes, the European Commissioner for Digital Affairs, said amendments approved on June 4 – which had been sent back to Hungary’s Parliament due to a procedural error […]

Appeals court in Dominican Republic throws out criminal defamation verdict against journalist

June 6, 2012 Scott Griffen

Lea en español An appeals court in the Dominican Republic yesterday threw out the criminal defamation conviction of Nagua radio journalist Johnny Alberto Salazar, who in January was sentenced to six months in prison for allegedly libelling a local lawyer. According to local news reports, justices of the Court of Appeal for San Francisco de […]

Yemen: new government, same challenges to press freedom

June 5, 2012 Molly Ochs

Feb. 27, 2012 marked the symbolic transition of power in Yemen from former President Ali Abdullah Saleh to newly-elected President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Massive demonstrations and uprisings beginning in Jan. 2011 brought about the change of power from Saleh to Hadi, illustrating the peoples’ desire for democracy. The end of Saleh’s 33-year-long dictatorship ushered […]

Journalists Eynulla Fatullayev, Nedim Sener to speak at IPI World Congress

June 1, 2012

The International Press Institute (IPI) today announced that formerly-imprisoned journalists Eynulla Fatullayev of Azerbaijan and Nedim Sener of Turkey will speak at IPI’s annual World Congress – which will take place from June 23 to 26 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – about their experiences behind bars. Fatullayev and Sener were released over […]

Russian radio journalist survives attack

May 29, 2012 Steven M. Ellis

A Russian radio journalist stabbed 20 times last night in an attack that some suggested was linked to his work is reportedly expected to survive. A Moscow police spokesperson said an unknown assailant lured Radio Mayak journalist Sergei Aslanyan out of his apartment building with a telephone call and hit the journalist in the head […]

IPI urges Azerbaijan’s president to investigate attacks on, imprisonment of journalists

May 26, 2012

The executive director of the International Press Institute (IPI), Alison Bethel McKenzie, yesterday sent an open letter to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev calling on him to investigate reported attacks on journalists, to look into the cases of six journalists currently imprisoned in his country and to make moves forward on decriminalising defamation in Azerbaijan. The […]

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