Censored

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) has condemned the suspension from work of Nuh Muse Birjeb, a journalist working with the Voice of America (VOA) Somali Service, also the correspondent for Universal TV in the Puntland regions. "The suspension of a journalist who is merely carrying out his media work is a breach of press freedom. We understand that this is the height of a series of...

The property of the television and radio company Chornomorska, which is the main mass media outlet of the Crimean opposition, has been seized, according to the "Ukrayinska Pravda" online edition. The building that houses the editorial office and videotape recording studio, as well as the office of the ASsol radio station, cars and all other belongings regardless of their location are to be seized...

Venezuelan newscaster Alexander Mireles has said that his radio programme "Hablando Claro y Raspao", broadcast by radio station Class 98.7 FM, was taken off the air on July 6 because Teodoro Bolívar, governor of the State of Cojedes in central Venezuela, bought all of the station's air time, according to delayed reports. Mireles, who is critical of Bolívar's administration, told Instituto Prensa y...

The mayor of the Serbian city of Zajecar, Bosko Nicic has decided to prevent all directors of companies and public institutions in the city from making statements to the media without his prior consent, according to the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO). Directors of companies and public institutions now feel that they must fear for their jobs if they do not comply with the directive...

Authorities have passed a restrictive order that has stopped journalists from going to report on Sunday's deadly mudslide in north-west China. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has learnt that a restrictive order was sent by China's Central Propaganda Department on August 8 which stated that no journalists should be sent to the vicinity of the mudslide in Zhouqu County, Gannan...

Sudan halted Monday BBC broadcasts in Arabic on FM radio frequencies after suspending its agreement with the British public broadcaster for reasons it said had nothing to do with its newscasts, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. In a statement carried by the official Suna news agency late on Sunday, the information ministry alleged that the BBC had imported technical equipment via British...

The author of the Rolling Stone article that ended the military career of Gen Stanley McChrystal, the former top commander in Afghanistan, has been denied permission to join US troops fighting in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. Defence Department spokesman Col David Lapan told reporters that freelance writer Michael Hastings was rebuffed when he asked to...

Benin suspended Radio France Internationale (RFI) broadcasts for 14 hours on Tuesday and questioned one of its journalists after it aired reports on accusations against the president, witnesses said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). The reports aired over the weekend as the tiny West African country celebrated 50 years of independence from France, with some 10 African heads of state...

With just a week to go to a presidential election on 9 August, Rwandan authorities are openly flouting the rules of the democratic game. Press freedom violations, including the jailing of journalists, the closure of news media and the murder of a newspaper editor a month ago, have intensified in the run-up to the election. The government's latest repressive measure has been the suspension of some...

The Afghanistan government has decided to close down the privately-owned TV station Emroz for allegedly endangering national unity and to ban two programmes on two other TV stations on the ground that they were contrary to Islamic values. When it met on 27 July, the cabinet ordered the ministry of culture and information and the attorney-general to shut down Emroz, a station launched in August...