LAUNCH
Join the debate
Last year, ARTICLE 19 joined Twitter and Facebook to engage in a global movement. To mark World Press Freedom Day 2012, we have launched 'Join the debate' - ARTICLE 19's new blog to bring together people defending free expression worldwide.
For today's launch, ARTICLE 19 staff and volunteers tell us about the
situation of free media, including new media. Click the links to
comment.
Out of the box
New media is out of the box and making big changes. Fatou Jagne-Senghor argues that
new media has overcome problems in West Africa, Judy Taing believes
bloggers will change Vietnam, Polly Lee hopes
Weibo will change the Chinese mediascape and Marcos Zunino compares the
US and wikipedia to King Midas and donkey ears.
Hate tweets and privacy
New media also opens the door to abuse. Boyko Boev notes how
social media has helped racist messages spread and Marcos Zunino wonders whether
56 days in prison is proportionate for a tweet. Antonio Martinez questions
techno-utopians and whether social media has really changed the mainstream media and Laura Tresca suggests that
fast-food information is a threat to plurality. Oliver Spencer refers to the increasing
knocks on the ISP door, Polly Lee mourns the
death of anonymity in China and Amir Bayani worries that the internet is
Haraam.
Old media remains in the spotlight
Old media remains under attack. Tahmina Rahman outs the
censorship of women in the Bangladeshi media and Oliver Spencer interviews one of
Nepal's most courageous women journalists. Nathalie Losekoot questions
Tony Blair's role in Kazakhstan, Susan Coughtie reflects on the
UK's influence on Moldova, Oliver Jinks points to
problems in Azerbaijan and Katherine Riley considers the
Olympic levels of censorship.
SUBMISSION
ARTICLE 19 Calls on Inter-American Court to Protect Journalists
ARTICLE 19 has submitted a brief to the Inter-American Court on Human
Rights in March calling on the Court to require that Colombia take
remedial measures to protect journalists who are threatened by officials
and others because of their work.
Read more >
SUBMISSION
Pakistan: ARTICLE 19's Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review
ARTICLE 19 is concerned about violence against journalists and human
rights defenders and failure to adequately investigate and punish those
responsible; continued misuse of blasphemy laws, especially against
religious minorities; excessive restrictions on online speech; overly
broad broadcasting regulations resulting in the arbitrary shutdown of
many broadcasters and cable stations and the banning of content; lack of
progress in developing effective legislation on freedom of information
and limits on communications privacy.
Read more >
SUBMISSION
Zambia: ARTICLE 19's Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review
ARTICLE 19 is concerned about the use of restrictive legislation to
suppress freedom of expression, incidents of violence and harassment
against journalists and human rights defenders, media independence and
censorship, restrictions on the right to association and right to
peaceful protest.
Read more >
LEGAL ANALYSIS
Kenya: Draft Campaign Financing Bill
In April 2012, ARTICLE 19 analysed the Draft Campaign Financing Bill,
2011 (“the Draft Bill”) of Kenya, which is currently undergoing a
stakeholder review process by the Constitutional Implementation
Committee of Kenya.
Read more >
STATEMENT
Tunisia: World Press Freedom Day highlights lack of progress on media reform
On UNESCO World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2012, which is to be held for
the first time in Tunisia, ARTICLE 19 warns that the Tunisian
government has failed to implement the key media reforms initiated in
the first year of the country’s transition to democracy. The current
legal framework, ARTICLE 19 emphasises, lacks the clarity and
specificity required to meet the basic requirements of the rule of law.
Read more > En Francais >
STATEMENT
Thailand: Court should release journalist prosecuted under lèse majesté law
ARTICLE 19 has submitted an amicus brief to a Bangkok criminal court in
the case of Public Prosecutor, Office of the Attorney General v. Mr
Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, arguing that the criminal prosecution of Mr
Somyot Pruksakasemsuk under the Thai lèse-majesté law violates his right
to freedom of expression.
Read more >
ORAL STATEMENT
European Broadcasting Union: ARTICLE 19 presses for media freedom in Azerbaijan
ARTICLE 19 and other members of the IPGA share deep concerns regarding
the alarming state of freedom of expression in Azerbaijan.
Read more >
PRESS RELEASE
Cambodia: Leading environmental activist gunned down
ARTICLE 19 deplores the death of Chut Wutty, Director of Natural
Resource Protection Group, who was shot and killed with an AK-47 during a
police clash on 26 April, 2012. Chut Wutty had been a vocal and ardent
campaigner against illegal logging and land grabbing, particularly
concerning the Prey Lang forest. Chut Wutty bore the brunt of multiple
threats to his life and safety for his environmental work, as he
reported to ARTICLE 19 a few months earlier. ARTICLE 19 calls for an
immediate and independent investigation into his killing.
Read more >
PRESS RELEASE
ARTICLE 19 Submits Brief to Indonesian Constitutional Court on National Security and Freedom of Expression
On 1 May, ARTICLE 19 submitted a brief to the Constitutional Court of
Indonesia on calling on the court to find several sections of the
recently adopted Law on State Intelligence violate international free
expression and access to information rights and to strike down those
provisions.
Read more >
PRESS RELEASE
Mexico: Another journalist murdered in Veracruz; 5 killed under Governor Javier Duarte
The correspondent of the weekly magazine Proceso , Regina Martinez, was
killed on 28 April at her home in Xalapa in the state of Veracruz. The
killing of Martinez is the fifth in the 17 months since Javier Duarte
assumed the governorship. According to early reports, a neighbor told
the authorities that the journalist’s house had been open for several
hours without any movement.
Read more >
