SUBMISSIONS
UN: Free expression violations in Bahrain, Ecuador, Indonesia, UK
The UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review was established to monitor and hold countries accountable for human rights abuse.ARTICLE 19 regularly provides Submissions on the status of freedom of expression in countries under review, and has this week delivered four reports:
Bahrain Submission: Harassment and attacks rife
Violations include harassment and attacks on journalists, human rights defenders and activists, media control and censorship, lack of internet freedom and violations of the right to peaceful protest
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Ecuador: Media reform needed
Violations include restrictive legislation on the media and freedom of expression, government control of media,harassment and attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, misuse of defamation and anti-terrorism laws
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Indonesia: Repression of identity widespread
Violations include the State Intelligence Law, discrimination against minority religious groups, particularly the Ahmadiyah, restricted access to West Papua and prevention of pro-independence activities, violence against journalists and control of the media by the government
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UK: Digital limits to free expression
Violations include restrictive legislation relating to accessing information through the internet, failure to reform defamation laws, continued misuse of the Official Secrets Act, excessive surveillance laws and weaknesses in providing public access to information
Read more >PRESS RELEASE
Landmark digital free speech ruling at European Court of Justice
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a landmark case for protecting free speech in the fight against online piracy. In a decision issued today on the Scarlet Extended SA v SABAM case, the Court stated that web filtering systems used to prevent illegal downloading on peer-to-peer networks was incompatible with fundamental human rights. ARTICLE 19 welcomes the decision as a victory for freedom of expression online.
Read more >SUBMISSION
Inter-American Court on Human Rights: Criminal defamation violates freedom of expression
ARTICLE 19 has submitted an amicus brief to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of Luís Uzcátegui et al vs. Venezuela in which it argues that criminal defamation laws violate the right to freedom of expression.
Read more >PRESS RELEASE
Thailand: Grandfather sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for anti-monarchy text messages
Amphon Tangnoppaku, also known as Ar Kong, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on 23 November 2011 by a Thai criminal court for sending four text messages deemed as insulting against the Queen of Thailand. This is the heaviest sentence ever handed down for a lèse-majesté case.
Read more >PRESS RELEASE
Brazil adopts access to information law
President Dilma Rousseff has signed the Law on the Right to Information, an important step forward in consolidating democracy in Brazil. The law will fully come into effect in 180 days, a short period for all the challenges that need to be faced to fully implement it.
Read more >UPDATE
Macedonia: International mission finds press freedom wanting
The International Partnership Group of freedom of expression organisations is concerned about the situation of freedom of expression and media freedom in Macedonia.
Read more >LETTER
Belarus: Condemn the sentence for Ales Bialiatski
We call upon the Belarusian authorities to immediately drop all charges against Ales Bialiatski and stop his criminal prosecution.
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