http://humanrightshouse.orgenHuman Rights House Foundationniels.jacob@humanrightshouse.org (Niels Jacob Harbitz)Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:46:09 GMTWed, 22 May 2013 19:11:26 GMTNoop 2.360http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18990&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18990.html&d=1The director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, issued on 19 December the interim guidelines on how prosecutors should deal with comments made using social media. The guidelines are welcomed by free speech organizations but practical application remains to be seen.Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:46:09 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18964&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18964.html&d=1Since 4 December 2012 courts in Kazakhstan have banned news website Stan.tv, the opposition television channel K-Plus and two newspapers Golos Respubliki and Vzglyad, their affiliated newspapers and online content. In November this year an Almaty court ordered the unregistered opposition group Alga! to suspend its activities immediately.Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:49:32 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18938&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18938.html&d=1On 6 December Kazbek Gekkiyev, a journalist on the local TV station, was murdered in the North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria on his way home. His death coincided with the launch of the Speak Justice Campaign. Its aim is to break the terrible cycle of murder and impunity currently experienced by journalists around the world.Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:32:54 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18900&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18900.html&d=1On 29 November 2012 Lord Justice Leveson issued a report on how the press should be reformed in the UK. Free speech organisations welcome the proposal for swift and low cost dispute resolution. However they express serious concerns about the incentive to create an “independent” press regulator underpinned by legislation.Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:44:18 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18873&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18873.html&d=1The International Day to End Impunity, launched on 23 November 2011, marks the anniversary of the 2009 Ampatuan massacre in the Philippines, when 32 journalists and media workers were murdered. To this day, not a single suspect has been convicted. More than 630 other journalists have been targeted and murdered worldwide in direct retaliation for their reporting since 1992.Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:55:26 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18862&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18862.html&d=1This week a delegation of 20 PEN members from around the world, including English PEN director Jo Glanville, met with the Turkish President Abdullah Gül, Minister for European Union Affairs Egemen Bağış and president of the Human Rights Association Öztürk Türkdoğan. The delegation called for release and reform of laws stifling Turkey’s writers, publishers, translators, and journalists.Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:40:13 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18840&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18840.html&d=1Last week Baku hosted the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) – a global UN-initiated forum debating the future of internet freedom. At the time there were nine journalists and three human rights defenders held in jail in Azerbaijan. Five of these cases are linked to online criticism of authorities.Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:07:56 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18812&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18812.html&d=1Index on Censorship and ARTICLE 19 are concerned about recent attacks on freedom of expression in Greece, where, at the time of the economic crisis, the authorities are attempting to limit criticism of the government. It is not an appropriate response for a democratic European government to limit press freedom in order to protect political power, the NGOs say.Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:10:05 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18786&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18786.html&d=1Index on Censorship, Committee to Protect Journalists and ARTICLE 19 joined more than 40 international media organisations demanding urgent action by governments, the United Nations and industry to stop violence against journalists and end impunity in attacks on the press.Sun, 28 Oct 2012 19:35:53 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18765&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18765.html&d=1In December 2012 the World Conference on International Communications will be taking place in Dubai with a view to reconsider the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs) for the first time since 1988 under the aegis of the International Telecommunications Union. One of the key questions that will be examined at the Conference is whether or not the Internet should fall within the scope of the ITRs.Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:10:50 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18723&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18723.html&d=1ARTICLE 19 and Index on Censorship are concerned about the arrest of Zaur Gurbanli, an activist with the N!DA Civic Movement and the Positive Change Youth Movement.Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:48:16 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18747&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18747.html&d=1Last week sixty international NGOs have published an open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to deliver on promises and to take action to change the libel law. The Libel Reform Campaign is calling on the House of Lords to make substantive amendments to the bill, in particular a new public interest defence and amendments to the “responsible journalism” defence.Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:10:44 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18686&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18686.html&d=1ARTICLE 19 welcomes the draft UN Resolution on the Safety of Journalists and adoption of a new resolution on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. The organisation also asks UN HRC to reject the draft resolution on “traditional values” as it may silence dissent and violate people’s human rights.Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:41:38 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18639&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18639.html&d=1Four Somali journalists were killed last week within 24 hours. On 20 September three journalists were killed and at least four injured in a suicide bomb attack in a Mogadishu café. The next day the fourth journalist was shot by gunmen just hours after he had reported on the explosion in the café.Tue, 25 Sep 2012 20:24:24 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18598&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18598.html&d=136 journalists and media workers with pro-Kurdish media have been held behind bars since 20 December 2011 in Turkey. The first series of court hearings in Istanbul ended on 12 September. The journalists will remain behind bars for at least two more months. They are accused of propaganda of terrorism, which is an umbrella term in Turkey providing authorities with an opportunity to prosecute journalists, publishers, academics, activists, and demonstrators.Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:44:00 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18575&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18575.html&d=1On 4 September Iran released two Azerbaijani journalists and poets Farid Huseyn and Shahriyar Hajizade who had been detained arbitrarily in Iran in May for alleged espionage. Free speech organisations welcome the decision and emphasize the absurdity of the charges brought against the journalists.Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:16:30 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18546&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18546.html&d=1Freelance journalist Faramaz Novruzoglu has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison in reprisal for his coverage of alleged government corruption.Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:36:07 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18528&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18528.html&d=1Article 19 has recently provided the reviews of the access to information legislation and the civil law regime concerning defamation in Kazakhstan. The organisation's overall assessment of the Draft Law on Access to Information is positive, though several problems have been identified. The legislation regarding defamation, however, despite some positive elements, fails to provide safeguards for free expression, organisation states.Mon, 27 Aug 2012 07:15:51 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18464&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18464.html&d=1Four months ago, a reporter for the weekly Uralskaya Nedelya was attempted murder victim. This week another opposition journalist suffered attempt on his life in the Kazakh capital Astana. The situation in the country is worrying as dissident journalists can expect censorship, arrest, intimidation and attacks.Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:02:43 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18437&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18437.html&d=1A year ago Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, chairman of the Minsk-based “Viasna” human rights center and the vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), was jailed on politically motivated charges. Belarusian and international NGOs demand to release him immediately and unconditionally, and to drop all charges against him.Sun, 05 Aug 2012 10:14:37 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18421&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18421.html&d=1This week the UK‘s high court overturned the conviction of Paul Chambers saying that his Tweet in 2010, in which he jokingly threatened to blow up Nottingham's airport, was not a “menacing communication”. Article 19 intervened in the case arguing that criminalising jokes online is a violation of the right to freedom of expression.Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:18:49 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18397&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18397.html&d=1A young Belarusian journalist has been arrested and detained – for publishing photographs of teddy bears. The bears were dropped over Belarus on 4 July by a Swedish advertising agency designed to promote free expression. The Belarusian government denies the flight.Mon, 23 Jul 2012 07:00:54 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18371&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18371.html&d=1In the aftermath of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Azerbaijani authorities have targeted critical journalists and activists.Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:24:36 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18379&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18379.html&d=1Russia’s Parliament has recently passed a number of new bills aiming to restrict freedom of action of civil society and to silence critical voices. Last week the Russian State Duma adopted a new law which limits freedom of information on the Internet.Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:43:58 GMThttp://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18365&d=1http://humanrightshouse.org/noop/page.php?p=Articles/18365.html&d=1English PEN has announced the winner of 2012 Pen Pinter Prize. The fourth recipient of the award poet Carol Ann Duffy is rewarded for outstanding contribution to literature and her commentary on contemporary events.Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:16:56 GMT