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On 22 January, a young journalist was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death for downloading and distributing an article that insulted Islam. The upper House of Parliament issued a statement on 30 January backing the death sentence then withdrew it the following day. Will Islamic Republic of Afghanistan remain defiant in the glare of the world’s media? (01-FEB-08)
 

President Viktor Yushchenko is to campaign internationally for the Ukrainian famine that killed possibly as many as 10 million people in 1932-3 to be recognised by the United Nations as genocide. But the battle over the legacy of the event threatens to divide the country. (25-JAN-08)
 

The delicate balance of Malaysia’s inter-ethnic politics has come under threat from an unexpected source and the response from the national government poses serious questions about freedom of expression. A recent rally resulted in clashes between demonstrators and the police, in which a police officer was injured, police vehicles were attacked and more than 200 were arrested. (11-DEC-07)
 

Index on Censorship and ARTICLE 19 are alarmed by the continuing assault on press freedom in Egypt. This week, no less than three cases will come to trial. All three represent a serious infringement of the right to free expression. (03-DEC-07)
 

The row over whether David Irving and Nick Griffin should have spoken at the Oxford Union is not an argument about freedom of speech. The Union president chose to invite far-right demagogues to speak, rather than someone who actively campaigns for free speech. (28-NOV-07)

Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili decreed a state of emergency after the violent dispersal of anti-government protests, ordering the shutdown of independent media outlets and deploying troops throughout Tblisi. Journalists have felt the heat during the recent upheaval. (9-NOV-07) 
 

ARTICLE 19, English PEN and Index on Censorship welcome the UK Prime Minister’s commitment to liberty, set out in his speech on 25 October. Gordon Brown’s promise to respect and extend freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and the public right to know marks a sea change in government attitudes towards these fundamental rights. (26-OCT-07)

In a sweeping presidential order introduced in July, President Bush took steps to undermine the democratic rights of his fellow citizens.  It will affect people´s right to protest — and could have a profound impact on humanitarian aid, argues Index on Censorship, one of the member organisations of the Open Word House / the Human Rights House in London. (21-SEP-07)
 

As the situation continues to deteriorate for journalists in the Republic of Azerbaijan,  ARTICLE 19 appeals to the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights to raise concerns over freedom of expression during his five-day official visit to Republic of Azerbaijan. (04-SEPT-07)