2005-2014

President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party Massoud Barzani has announced in an interview with the pro-KDP daily Khebat that he is to withdraw a complaint made by his party against two columnists on the non partisan newspaper Awene, Marwan Wrya Qani’ and Aras Fatah, over their article that appeared in June 2010, “What did the president of the autonomous region of Kurdistan say?” Paris-based press...

The authorities in Southern Sudan and the government in the capital Khartoum have been urged to guarantee the safety of journalists and pluralism of news and information two days ahead of an historic referendum on independence for South Sudan. The South Sudanese will vote on January 9 – marking a decisive step in their history – whether or not to secede from the rest of Sudan, bringing about...

Journalists in Bihar Saturday termed the arrest of Navlesh Pathak, editor of Purnia-based English weekly Quisling, in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Raj Kishore Kesri's stabbing case as an attempt to suppress press freedom, according to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). Kesri, a BJP legislator from Purnia assembly constituency, was knifed Jan 4 in his home by a woman teacher Rupam Pathak...

The murder case of Bharatiya Janata Party BJP MLA Raj Kishore Kesri took a new turn on Thursday with the Bihar police arresting Navlesh Pathak, the editor of a local English weekly Quisling, who had for the first time reported the sexual harassment complaint of Rupam Pathak, according to the Indian Express. The police action came following an FIR filed in the K-Hat police station here against the...

The LambdaIstanbul Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Solidarity Association has protested against a fine issued by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) to the HabertUrk television station after the station broadcast a discussion on homosexuality. The members of the association called on RTUK president Davut Dursun to apologise for putting forward that the programme on the subject...

The police in Croatia have detained the alleged perpetrators of the brutal attack on Jutarnji List journalist Dusan Miljus, according to the South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO). On December 22, in the scope of operational actions under the name of "Shock 3", the Croatian police detained four suspects allegedly connected to the Miljus case. Two years ago, on June 2, 2008, in front of...

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has expressed shock at the explicit death threats made to three journalists based in the southern district of Dantewada in India's Chhattisgarh state, by a vigilante group believed to be part of a covert operation to combat a long-running Maoist insurgency. IFJ sources report that an unsigned letter issued in the name of the Adivasi Swabhimaani...

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is shocked at the arrest of a journalist in Imphal after what seems to have been a "sting" operation by the local police. Ahongsangbam Mobi, editor of a local daily, Sanaleibak, was arrested on December 29 and has reportedly been charged under India's Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for alleged contacts with a banned insurgent group, the...

The misdemeanors appeals court in Egypt fined Abdel Halim Kandil, former editor of the Sout elUmmah newspaper, EGP 10,000 (approx. US$1,700) and Ahmed Abulkheir, a journalist at the same paper, EGP 15,000 (approx. US$2,600). They were both convicted on December 25 of insult and libel in relation to their coverage of filmmaker Akram elSobky's wedding party, according to the Arabic Network for Human...

The Korean government has come under fire for its recent selection of new TV channel operators. Critics say it will cause excessive competition in a saturated market and aggravate large conservative newspapers' dominance of public opinion. Experts are also voicing doubt about the selection committee's fairness and correctness in assessing applicants, according to the Korea Herald. The Korea...