 RFE/RL Watchdog 9/30/2010 4:51:14 PM A blog of human rights, media freedom, and democracy developments from RFE/RL's broadcast region. For more, please visit and bookmark Watchdog . |
 Uzbek Rights Activist Convicted Of Defamation A leading human rights activist in Uzbekistan has been convicted of defamation and fined. More The Prosecutor-General's Office said it is reopening criminal investigations into the deaths of five journalists between 2001 and 2005 after receiving new information from the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). More  Proposed U.S. Law Would Punish Those Implicated In Russia's Magnitsky Case Two senior U.S. congressmen have followed through on promises to punish those who they say are responsible for the prison-death of Russian anticorruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Senator Benjamin Cardin (Democrat-Maryland) and Representative James McGovern (Democrat-Massachusetts) have introduced legislation to block U.S. visas and freeze the financial assets of dozens of people implicated in the case. More  Iran Journalist Jailed For Three Years Opposition websites, including sahamnews.org, reported on September 28 that Isa Saharkhiz has also been banned from engaging in political and journalistic activities for five years and from leaving Iran for one year after his release. More  Iran Blogfather 'Gets 19-Year Sentence' Derakhshan, nicknamed Hoder, was a leading figure in the Persian-language blogosphere and was credited with helping blogs gain popularity in his native Iran -- so much so that he was dubbed Iran's "Blogfather." More  OSCE Blasts Tashkent Over Journalists The OSCE's freedom of the media representative, Dunja Mijatovic, said in a statement that she is "alarmed by the unrelenting judicial pressure exerted upon independent journalists in Uzbekistan." More  Families Of Jailed Azeri Bloggers Appeal To Obama Relatives of two Azerbaijani bloggers jailed in a case condemned by rights groups have appealed to U.S. President Barack Obama to press for their release during talks with Azerbaijan's leader Ilham Aliyev. More  Family Of Jailed Iranian Dissident Cleric Appeals To UN Chief The family of dissident Iranian cleric Ayatollah Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi has written to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asking him to address human rights violations in Iran at the 65th session of the UN General Assembly that opens today. More |
