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A night of music, entertainment and speech in support of journalists, bloggers and writers in Iran.

The 10th annual Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards honour those who, often at great personal risk, have given voice to issues and stories from around the globe that would otherwise have passed unnoticed.

George Orwell was a staunch proponent of freedom of all kinds, especially of speech and of the press. But with criticisms of the media flourishing, preachers of hate making headlines, the anonymity of the internet, and journalists complaining about libel laws – how free is free speech, and what should the limits be?

The Home Office’s new points-based visa system has meant thousands of international students unable to start their courses on time, cancelled concerts and lecture series, and the growth of suspicion and surveillance on campus. Come and discuss these new rules and what we can do about them.

On Sunday 14 March, some of the biggest names in UK comedy, science and human rights will be sharing a stage to tell us that England’s libel laws are unjust, against the public interest and need to be reformed, as part of our ongoing libel campaign.

The International PEN Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) presents a caselist summarising all recorded attacks against writers, journalists and publishers in the period July to December 2009. The caselist also includes the total figures of attacks for the period January to December 2009. The caselist shows a slight and in some cases remarkable increase of attacks in 2009, compared with 2008.

On the occasion of the presidential inauguration last week, ARTICLE 19 and International Media Support (IMS) sent an open letter to the newly elected President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, right, urging him to respond immediately to serious shortcomings within the legislative and policy framework related to freedom of expression and freedom of media in Ukraine.

In response to the brutal crackdown against journalists and writers in Islamic Republic of Iran, Index on Censorship has joined a coalition of leading press freedom and free expression groups to
launch a petition drive calling for the release of those imprisoned.

ARTICLE 19 urges Brazilian legislators to bring the bill on the right to information into line with international standards, including by taking into consideration civil society recommendations, and to concentrate efforts to adopt a final text of the Brazilian Right to Information Act during 2010.