IFEX Communiqué Vol 20, No 49

Vol. 20 No. 49 | 14 December 2011

Headlines
________________________________________

International: Number of imprisoned journalists reaches 15-year high, says CPJ report

International: IFEX members honour International Human Rights Day around the world

India: Activist demanding information shot dead as government tries to ramp up cyber censorship

Democratic Republic of Congo: Bought-off media worsen election marred in violence

Zimbabwe: Media monitors' arrests are shocking and unlawful, say IFEX members

Americas / Awards and other opportunities: IAPA seeks nominations of human rights journalists and press freedom advocates

Free Expression Spotlight
________________________________________

INTERNATIONAL: NUMBER OF IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS REACHES 15-YEAR HIGH, SAYS CPJ REPORT
The number of journalists in prison around the world is higher than it has been in 15 years, says a Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report. As of 1 December, 179 writers, editors and photojournalists were detained, according to CPJ's annual survey. The jump is largely attributed to beyond-the-law military regimes in Middle East and North Africa, most notably in Iran, which topped the list with 42 journalists imprisoned. Read more>>

Regional news
________________________________________

INTERNATIONAL: IFEX MEMBERS HONOUR INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY AROUND THE WORLD
IFEX members marked International Human Rights Day on 10 December by demanding freedom of expression and right to information for Somali journalists, Brazilian indigenous communities, Chinese dissident writers and other targeted groups throughout the world. Read more>>

INDIA: ACTIVIST DEMANDING INFORMATION SHOT DEAD AS GOVERNMENT TRIES TO RAMP UP CYBER CENSORSHIP
An activist with a long history of campaigning for transparency and accountability was shot dead by unknown gunmen at a time the government attempts to further clamp down on the free flow of information. Read more>>

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: BOUGHT-OFF MEDIA WORSEN ELECTION MARRED IN VIOLENCE
Just before a brutally violent and hotly contested election, Journaliste en danger (JED) condemned the lack of media standards and inaction by DRC's broadcast regulatory that have contributed to massive divisions in the country. Read more>>

ZIMBABWE: MEDIA MONITORS' ARRESTS ARE SHOCKING AND UNLAWFUL, SAY IFEX MEMBERS
Three members of the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ) are in jail after they showed a film about the media's role in the election process, report the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), ARTICLE 19 and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Read more>>

Also in this issue
________________________________________

AMERICAS / AWARDS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: IAPA SEEKS NOMINATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS JOURNALISTS AND PRESS FREEDOM ADVOCATES
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) is calling on news agencies and journalists to send in articles and video and audio clips that portray excellence in human rights reporting, among 11 other categories. Read more>>

ENDS

© Scoop Media