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English PEN is seriously concerned about the deteriorating health of imprisoned Chinese activist and dissident writer Hu Jia, who was hospitalised for tests in late March 2010. Requests for medical parole have been denied. Hu Jia is serving a three-and-a-half year sentence for ‘inciting subversion of state power’ for his critical writings and dissident activities.

The Arroyo government drops the pretence it is capable of prosecuting its political allies implicated in the slaughter of reporters. The only hope for the victim’s family is that the upcoming elections on 10 May 2010 in Philippine will deliver change argues Harry Roque, counsel representing 14 victims of the Maguindanao massacre in domestic and international litigation.

Supported by Index on Censorship, campaigners from across the UK and abroad are to converge on London’s Trafalgar Square on 3 May in support of Zarganar, Burma’s most famous comedian, writer and blogger turned prisoner of conscience.

ARTICLE 19 on 29 April 2010 released an analytical report which finds that freedom of expression is under severe threat in the North Caucasus. Although there has been a well-reported outbreak of violence in the region in recent weeks, ARTICLE 19 believes that there is a systematic trend of violations of the right to freedom of expression, which is merely exacerbated by the current security situation.

English PEN, Index on Censorship are proud to present EPIC SHORT FILMS at the Free Word Centre, these events explore censorship and freedom of expression in independent filmmaking.

Burma’s most famous comedian, Zarganar, is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence for his criticism of the Burmese government’s handling of Cyclone Nargis in May 2008. The cyclone devastated the country – more than 140,000 people died and millions were made homeless.

Committee to Project Journalists newly updated its Impunity Index, a list of countries where journalists are killed regularly and governments fail to solve the crimes. According to the list deadly, unpunished violence against the press has soared in the Philippines and Republic of Somalia. Impunity in journalist murders also rose significantly in the Russian Federation and Mexico, two countries with long records of entrenched, anti-press violence.

Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari, the keynote speaker at 2010 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards, has reportedly been subject to threats by Iranian officials. Human rights organizations have condemned the Iranian authorities’ move.

On 14 April 2010, up to 47 members of the opposition Musavat (Equality) Party were detained for participating in a political demonstration in Baku, in the first political rally ahead of Azerbaijan’s parliamentary elections in November 2010. Unidentified government officials were captured on film as they forced demonstrators into vans and buses, clamping their hands over the protesters’ mouths as they shouted slogans for freedom, equality and free elections.