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Popular comic Zarganar was released from prison in Burma on 12 October as part of a prisoner amnesty. Zarganar (Maung Thura) was handed a 59 year sentence in 2008 after criticising the Burmese junta’s poor aid response to Cyclone Nargis.

On 26 September 2011 the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights filed a motion with the Circuit Court in Warsaw seeking court’s leave to join, as a community organisation, in the case involving the protection of personal interests brought by Bogdan Wróblewski against the Head of the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA).

Free expression defenders are celebrating Thursday’s decision by a military court to drop charges against a Tunisian policeman who blew the whistle on a still-active core of officers from the country’s pre-revolution days – some of them alleged torturers, others linked to Tunisia’s long notorious internet surveillance squads.

On September 29, Kazakhstan government passed new laws which tighten government control over religious communities. According to the law, every religious community will have to register with the government. Moreover, a special permit by local and central government will be required to build any new house of worship. According to various NGOs, such law will have negative implications on civil society.

English PEN and the Free Burma VJ campaign will be holding a Poetry Protest outside the Burmese Embassy in London to call for the immediate and unconditional release of the many Burmese writers currently detained in violation of their right to free expression.

A unique performance evening to mark the 30th annual Day of the Imprisoned Writer, in association with ice&fire theatre company.

10 кастрычніка — Міжнародны дзень барацьбы супраць смяротнага пакарання. Беларусь — адзіная краіна Еўропы, дзе забойства грамадзян адбываецца ў адпаведнасці з законам. Еўрапейскія палітыкі заклікалі ўлады Беларусі ўвесці мараторый на смяротную кару, а беларускія праваабаронцы нагадалі мінакам на вуліцах Мінску пра праблемы, звязаныя з пакараннем смерцю.

10 October is the International Day against Death Penalty. Belarus is the only country in Europe, where the murder of citizens takes place in accordance with the law. The European politicians have called upon Belarusian authorities to impose a moratorium on the death penalty, while the Belarusian human rights defenders reminded passers-by on the streets of Minsk about the issues connected with death penalty.

For ninety years, English PEN has been fighting for the freedom to write and the freedom to read at home and abroad.

Tawakkol Karman, right, a prominent opposition figure and the face of Yemen’s anti-government movement over the past nine months has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her role as “a leading part in the struggle for women’s rights and for democracy and peace in Yemen”. Human rights organisations congratulate the Nobel committee for recognising the importance of women fighting for free speech.

Wednesday – is the traditional day of silent protests in Belarus. Since 21 September the organizers of the “Revolution through social networks” have decided to hold the actions in the new format. But already on 3 October, the parliament promptly adopted amendments to the “Law on Mass Events” directed against such actions.

Серада — гэта традыцыйны дзень правядзення маўклівых акцый пратэсту ў Беларусі. З 21 верасня арганізатары «Рэвалюцыі праз сацыяльныя сеткі» вырашылі праводзіць акцыі ў новым фармаце . А 3 кастрычніка надзвычай аператыўна былі прынятыя папраўкі ў «Закон аб масавых мерапрыемствах» , скіраваныя супраць падобных акцый.