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What’s in a word?: Turkey and the Armenia problem
The anniversary of the 1915 events in Armenia has generated more public debate on both sides of the issue than ever before. The impassioned disagreement over the semantics of the matter has assumed what to many seem absurd proportions. The Turkish authorities are ready to settle for the term ‘massacre’; the Armenian diaspora insists on the use of ‘genocide´. Index on Censorship reports (18-OCT-05)
Sudanese newspapers still under threat despite recent promises
Not one month after Sudan’s president promised his country a free press, two Sudanese Arabic-language dailies had their printing presses shut down without explanation. The move was neither out of character nor unexpected, but it did abruptly end the honeymoon that permeated Sudan?s political arenas throughout much of July. Index on Censorship reports. (11-OCT-05)
Dismay at Tunisia’s ‘real and virtual’ rights abuses
As long as rights abuses continue in Tunisia, freedom of expression experts will continue to question the credibility of the UN World Summit on the Information Society if it is held there as planned this year. The free expression community is increasingly concerned about the country´s record on free speech, and worries that the Tunisian government is seeking to stifle dissent on the eve of the WSIS, scheduled to take place in Tunis, 16-18 November 2005. (30-SEPT-05)
International call for protection for human rights defenders in Azerbaijan
On 9 September, representatives from the international human rights community came together to issue a joint press statement, expressing their concern for the treatment of independent journalists, political activists, and human rights defenders in the Republic of Azerbaijan. They also called for free and fair elections, due to take place on 6 November. (23-SEPT-05)
Call for applications on freedom of expression projects in South Caucasus
ARTICLE 19, the Global Campaign for Free Expression, is inviting appplications for a one¨Cweek intensive training course on theoretical and practical aspects of promoting freedom of expression and freedom of information in the South Caucasus. The course, developed in conjunction with journalists, freedom of information centers, and human rights organisations from the region, will take place in Kyiv from 22 to 27 November 2005. (16-SEPT-05)
Growing concerns for free expression in wake of London bombings
ARTICLE 19 has issued a public statement in the wake of the London bombings. The free expression organization has voiced concerns about how proposed security measures will affect fundamental freedoms. (30-AUG-05)
UK editor faces charges of racial incitement
A Scots local newspaper editor is facing charges of incitement to racial hatred after he published an editorial opposing a proposed refugee centre in the north-east of Scotland. Index on Censorship reports (22-AUG-05).
New threats to free expression in wake of London attacks
The British government is proposing powerful new controls on freedom of expression as part of its current strategy to ward off fresh terror attacks on the country — including charging the worst offenders with treason and rewriting British human rights laws to make it all possible. Index on Censorship’s Rohan Jayasekera reports. (09-AUG-05)
Religious hatred law threatens free expression
By passing an act to outlaw incitement to religious hatred, the British government will create a quasi-legal forum for extremists ready to use one law while breaking others – to silence critics of their faith and punish apostates. Index on Censorship’s Rohan Jayasekera comments (22-JULY-05).