The Indian government has fallen in line with the sentiments expressed by the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid. The government has expressed "deep concern" over the growing controversy following publication of cartoons of prophet Mohammed, and said attempts to hurt the religious sentiments of the people should be avoided, the Press Trust of India (PTI) has reported. "The Government of India is
Moroccan weekly TelQuel continues to bear the brunt of courts. A Casablanca court Wednesday ruled on appeal that it must pay 500,000 dirhams (50,000 euros) in damages in a libel suit brought by the director of a child aid association, Touria Bouabid. THE CRUSADER: When TelQuel editor Ahmed Benchemsi was in the US on a fellowship in August 2005, the Moroccan authorities used a novel technique to it
A Zimbabwe court has set aside a decision by country's media commission not to license the Daily News newspaper. The newspaper was ordered to stop publishing in 2003 for criticising the government. In March 2005, the country's supreme court overturned the original ban, but the media commission twice denied its application for a license, Reuters has reported. YESTERDAY'S HEADLINE, TODAY'S NEWS: A
The investigation into the murder of BBC producer Kate Peyton in Mogadishu a year ago has lead nowhere and her killers live openly in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. "Peyton's murderers enjoy complete impunity in Mogadishu," Reporters Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) said in a statement issued together with the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) to mark the anniversary of the killing
A regional court in Peru has awarded long prison sentences to five men accused in the murder of radio journalist Alberto Rivera Fernández in Pucallpa on April 21, 2004, according to Reporters sans Frontières (RSF). ALBERTO RIVERA: The Peruvian radio journalist was gunned down as he was entering his home, which also housed a shop belonging to the family. Two men who were posing as clients rushed
Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko has called for the high-profile trial into journalist Heorhiy Gongadze's killing to be opened to the public, criticising the court's decision last month to bar journalists from much of the proceedings, his top aide said Wednesday, according to the Associated Press (A). AND SITLL HE HAS THAT PROMISE TO KEEP: Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko seen during his
A pregnant journalist is being held in Ethiopia for two weeks now without being charged. Frezer Negash, a correspondent for the US-based Ethiopian Review was arrested on January 27. "No civilised state can tolerate such detention without trial," Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) said,"and this denial of justice is even more deplorable because she is three months pregnant." GUILTY AS NOT CHARGED
Journalists in Colombia are increasingly coming under pressure for their work. Yet another journalist was forced to flee on February 8 – the third journalist forced to flee the place of work in the face of death threats this year alone. COMRADE IN ARMS: File photo of rebel commander Raul Reyes, one of the seven-member governing secretariat Marxist rebel army, gesturing during a Reuters interview
The Burma junta has launched a campaign to track down people who pass on information to the international media. Military officers have been trained in how to identify the sources used by international radio stations and new phone tapping facilities have been installed, according to Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) and Burma Media Association (BMA). EYEING INFORMERS: Burmese military leader Gen
The Mexican government will name a special prosecutor to investigate crimes against journalists. The move comes two days after gunmen stormed a newspaper office in the US-Mexico border town of Nuevo Laredo, seriously wounding one reporter. TIME TO GIVE IT A SHOT: Mexico president Vicente Fox speaks during a news conference in Vina del Mar, 85 miles south of Santiago, Chile January 26. Fox had
