News

9 February 2009

Court rejects early release for jailed newspaper reporter

Baku appeal court judge Rizvan Safarov on Thursday rejected a request for the conditional release of Azadlig reporter Sakit Zahidov, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) had reported. The request was submitted by his lawyer, Isakhan Ashurov, on December 19 on the grounds that Zahidov has served half of his three-year jail sentence and, under Azerbaijani law, qualifies for early release. “We regret that...

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8 February 2009

Irregularities and flawed investigation render Politkovskaya murder trial meaningless

The trial of four people accused of journalist Anna Politkovskaya’s murder resumed Tuesday last before a military court in Moscow after the latest of many adjournments. Marked by many irregularities, the trial has exposed gaps in the investigation and has raised the question why the case was handed over to a court so soon, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has said. “This trial has seen major...

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8 February 2009

IFJ opposes call for news blackout on Somalia after HornAfrik journalist's murder

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has warned that a call by the United Nations Special Envoy in Somalia, Ahmed Ould Abdallh, to suspend news reporting from Somalia was an "ill-thought out and counter-productive" response to the media crisis in the country. "We oppose this move because it will not work and could make the situation even worse for journalists," said Aidan White, IFJ...

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8 February 2009

Court upholds six-year jail sentence for Tunisian TV reporter who covered mining region unrest

An appeal court in Gafsa (400 km south of Tunis) has confirmed the six-year prison sentence that was imposed on reporter Fahem Boukadous of the satellite TV station el Hiwar el Tounissi in connection with his coverage of last year’s demonstrations in the Gafsa mining region. Boukadous is still in hiding. His sentence was upheld as part of a ruling concerning all of the 38 people who were convicted...

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8 February 2009

Newspaper suspended over spoof movie poster about Iranian presidential election

The Iranian ministry of culture and Islamic guidance Wednesday suspended Hemat, a weekly that supports allies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The ministry said a spoof movie poster on the front page of the latest issue, on February 1, had insulted senior government officials, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has reported. “There would be something comic about this suspension if it did not...

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8 February 2009

Montreal court hears lawsuit against Iran govt by son of photographer beaten to death

Stephan Hachemi has brought up a civil lawsuit against the Iranian government before the Quebec high court claiming damages for the arrest, detention, torture and death of his mother, Zahra Kazemi, a photographer with dual Iranian and Canadian citizenship, in Tehran in 2003. A preliminary three-day hearing was due to begin in Montreal on February 3, but it has been postponed to May, Reporters sans...

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8 February 2009

Brother of murdered Pakistan journalist escapes attempt on his own life

Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has urged Pakistani authorities to act effectively to protect Kamal Asfar, journalist on the magazine Ash-Sharq (The East), who on February 1 escaped a murder attempt. His brother, journalist, Aamir Wakil, was killed in Rawalpindi on January 24. “I am lucky to be alive today”, Asfar told the worldwide press freedom organisation. Two bearded men had fired several...

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8 February 2009

Editor of the weekly L’Action sentenced to three months in prison in Niger

Boussada Ben Ali, the managing editor of independent Nigerien weekly L’Action, was Friday sentenced to three months in prison and fined 50,000 CFA francs (about 76 euros) for “publishing false information”. The journalist immediately appealed against the sentence but will remain in custody at Niamey prison where he has been since January 26 while awaiting the outcome of the appeal, Reporters sans...

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8 February 2009

Point editor faces Gambian trial on “false information” charge for reporting diplomat’s arrest

Gambian authorities are continuing to to hound the Point, a privately-owned daily based in Banjul. Its editor, Pap Saine, was charged with publishing false information yesterday, two days after being arrested and then freed on bail for reporting the arrest of a Gambian diplomat, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has reported. Saine is to appear in court again on February 19. “Saine’s arrest comes...

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8 February 2009

Liberian journalist could be forced to reveal source in Charles Taylor trial

A Liberian journalist who testified against ex-President Charles Taylor should not be forced to reveal a confidential source, the Committee to Protect Journalists has said. The journalist, Hassan Bility, testified on January 14 about a 1997 reporting trip to Sierra Leone in which he documented alleged ties between Liberian government troops and Sierra Leonean rebels. Liberia's ex-President Charles...

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