State Control

The Jerusalem District Court sentenced two journalists from East Jerusalem to two months' imprisonment for their report to Iranian television about the start of the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip in January, Haaretz newspaper has reported. The Haaretz report said: [ Link] The two were sentenced as part of a plea bargain to charges that they violated military censorship restrictions by...

There is a stark lack of balanced and independent electoral coverage in the Iranian media. And, 15 journalists have been threatened or summoned for questioning in the cities of Machhad, Ahvaz, Sanandaj, Khoram Abad, Khohdasht and Tabriz since the campaign for the June presidential 12 election began on May 21. They have been targetted for criticising President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is running

the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) has urged CRTC to allow Al Jazeera English Television to be broadcast in Canada. CJFE sent a letter in support of the application urging the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to approve ECGL's (Ethnic Channels Group Limited) request for the addition of Al Jazeera English to the lists of eligible satellite services...

Privately-owned Rrokum TV in Kosovo is still suspended by the Kosovar broadcasting network and internet provider IPKO, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has reported. Although it has a contract guaranteeing its transmission for five years, Rrokum TV was dropped from IPKO’s network of 80 local, regional and international TV stations without warning on April 1. IPKO has at first blamed technical...

The Libyan government has decided to nationalise the country's few privately-owned news media, which until now were controlled by Al-Ghad, a company launched two years ago by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s son, Seif Al-Islam, Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has reported. “This is clearly a retrograde measure,” Paris-based RSF reacted. “The launch of several privately-owned media by Seif Al-Islam...

Sudanese media has suffered multiple blows in recent months as parliament considers a harshly repressive press bill and authorities impose an exceptional level of censorship. The press bill, introduced in the Sudanese National Assembly in April, falls far short of international standards for free expression, according to an analysis by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The

The European Federation of Journalist (EFJ) has protested against proposals for the draft legislation in Finland which would compel journalists to reveal their sources in certain criminal cases. "This bill is unbelievable. Protection of sources is a cornerstone of independent journalism and the free flow of information. Journalists have to be certain that media freedom is secured and journalists'...

Myanmarese (Burmese) military authorities have been urged to lift all restrictions on press coverage of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s trial. Some Burmese journalists have intermittently been allowed to attend the trial, which is taking place inside Insein prison, but no foreign reporter has been allowed in and the Burmese media are not able to cover it freely, according to Paris-based...

The Kenyan government has finally published amendments to the Communications Act, which will delete a controversial clause that allows the government to raid broadcasting stations. The Kenya Communications (Amendment) Law 2008, which President Mwai Kibaki signed into law in January 2009, enables the state to raid broadcasting houses and destroy or confiscate equipment in the name of "public safety

The Thai government has announced its plan to regulate the programme content of radio stations and cable and satellite TV stations in the country, the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) has reported quoting media reports. The Bangkok Post quoted on May 14 Prime Minister's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey as saying the government will ban any programme, whether broadcast over community...