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CAIRO, June 3 (KUNA) -- The Arab Journalists Union has classified Kuwait first in freedom of journalism followed by Jordan, Egypt and Qatar. The report was announced by the President of the union, Ibrahim Nafi', who said that the report has been issued after evaluation was done by foreign agencies over press freedoms in the Arab countries. Nafi' said that this report is only a start, expressing...

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned over continuing violence against journalists in Bangladesh, after eight journalists were injured during a demonstration on May 31. The journalists were protesting attacks on the newspaper, Dainik Andolaner Bazar, by members of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on May 30, which forced the newspaper to suspend publication....

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, June 2, 2006 - The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a decision by caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party to file criminal defamation charges against the newspaper Manager Daily, its editor, a columnist, and two senior executives. The charges filed on Tuesday relate to articles which alleged that Thaksin and senior Thai Rak Thai party...

(IFJ/IFEX) - The International Federation of Journalists today demanded an explanation from the Ethiopian authorities over the decision to bar a European journalists' leader from entering the country as part of an international mission. The IFJ says that the decision to refuse an entry visa to Arne König, Chair of the European Federation of Journalists, Europe's largest journalists' group, was...

(IFJ/IFEX) - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the outrageous attack on the camera crew of television company Mezon during a meeting in Jalalabat city (Kyrgyzstan) on May 27. According to IFJ affiliate, the Public Association of Journalists in Kyrgyzstan, Kamil Satkanbaev, editor of the news department, and journalist Illhom Abdukaharov were beaten, and Satkanbaev's camera...

(IFJ/IFEX) - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned over continuing violence against journalists in Bangladesh, after eight journalists were injured during a demonstration on May 31. The journalists were protesting attacks on the newspaper, Dainik Andolaner Bazar, by members of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on May 31, which forced the newspaper to suspend...

New York, June 1, 2006 - Gambian security officers arrested a local journalist working for the BBC on Tuesday, a local source told the Committee to Protect Journalists. A BBC source in London confirmed that Lamin Cham had been detained. His whereabouts are unknown. His arrest comes amid a government crackdown on a critical U.S.-hosted Web site, Freedom Newspaper. On May 25, police summoned...

(MISA/IFEX) - On 28 May 2006, a senior government official lambasted the Swazi media for publishing articles he deemed insulting to the new Minister for Health, Njabulo Mabuza, who was appointed last week in a mini Cabinet reshuffle. The media criticized the Prime Minister for appointing someone with limited education to an important portfolio such as health. The media published stories that...

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, May 31, 2006 - The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled by attacks on journalists and a newspaper in the town of Kushtia in western Bangladesh. Witnesses told local media that about 20 men, whom they recognized as activists from the ruling Bangladesh National Party (BNP), attacked the offices of Quality Press on Wednesday, damaging a printing press, threatening...

(MFWA/IFEX) - On 17 May 2006, the Liberian Broadcasting System (LBS), the state-owned broadcaster, ordered its journalists to seek clearance prior to broadcasting "corruption allegations" against government officials and other top personalities. A memorandum signed by Benjamin N.Tangay, Assistant Director General for News and Public Affairs (ADG), warned that editorial staff had to channel all...