Press Freedom

Bloody Days in Sudan

By Zeinab Mohammed Salih
Activists claim that more than one hundred people have been killed and thousands injured during demonstrations in Sudan following the removal of fuel subsidies.

Gambia Media Crackdown Continues

By David Kode
Last July marked 19 years of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s inordinately long rule. His legacy during this time is to mark his country as one of the most unapologetically repressive states in Africa.

When Mexico Let Big Brother Spy

By Emilio Godoy
Non-governmental organisations are urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to demand explanations from the Mexican state for the weak protection it provided its citizens from large-scale spying by the United States.

Zimbabwe Minister Dismisses Claims of Media Clampdown

By Jeffrey Moyo
He is the architect of what critics call Zimbabwe's most repressive media laws, and the press here anticipate that journalists arrests and media suppression may intensify now that he has been appointed minister of media and information. But Professor Jonathan Moyo has dismissed the concerns and told IPS "journalists had nothing to fear but fear itself."

Opposition Journalists in Azerbaijan Face Free-Flat Conflict

By Shahin Abbasov
In Azerbaijan, opposition journalists have long been beaten, blackmailed and some even killed. But now, it appears a few are being bought.

Censorship Threatens to Re-emerge in Myanmar

By Roger Hamilton-Martin
One year after the government officially struck down laws obstructing free press in Myanmar, a parliamentary bill could allow previous censorship practices to re-surge.

Back to Mubarak, And Worse

By Cam McGrath
Egyptian military leader General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said ousting the country’s first elected president was necessary “to preserve democracy” and resolve the political deadlock that had dangerously polarised the country. But six weeks after the coup he led, the notion that toppling Islamist president Mohamed Morsi would restore stability to Egypt has proven false.

Bahrain’s Tamarod Is Here to Stay

By Nazeeha Saeed
On Aug. 14, the 42nd anniversary of Bahrain’s independence from Britain, an online group called Tarmarod (“rebellion” in Arabic) officially joined Bahrain’s democracy movement that began in February 2011.

Media Law Hits Somali Journalists

By Abdurrahman Warsameh
Somalia’s journalists say that the government is not serious about reviewing the country’s new, controversial media bill that requires them to reveal their sources, despite a series of recent consultations.

Egyptian Media Silences Protests

By Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa al-Omrani
As Egypt's political crisis escalates, supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi accuse the local media – both state-run and private – of ignoring pro-Morsi demonstrations and covering up massive rights abuses.

OP-ED: EU and Azerbaijan, Setting the Record Straight

By Eldar Mamedov
At a cabinet meeting in mid-July, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev lashed out at the European Parliament for supposedly conducting a “dirty campaign” against Baku. The shrill tone of Aliyev’s comments indicates that European pressure on Azerbaijan to respect basic rights is stinging the Aliyev administration.

Afghanistan Faces New Uncertainties

By Giuliano Battiston
What happens after 2014? That is the question people on Afghanistan’s streets are asking as the deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops draws near.

Egypt Military ‘Split’ Over Morsi

By Hisham Allam
Divisions are opening up within the Egyptian military over the controversial takeover from the ousted government of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi, a senior party leader says.

Choked Media Struggles to Speak Out in Jordan

By Elizabeth Whitman
Journalists and media activists have begun to confront the Jordanian government over its moves to block local news websites. Two months now after the blockage, many of these sites are struggling.

OP-ED: The Making of the Middle East’s Newest Strongman

By Emad Mekay
Before an ultimatum to attack an anti-coup sit-in earlier this week, Egypt's new strongman and coup leader Gen. Abdel Fatah Al-Sissi received one of his warmest endorsements ever - something that might have been torn right out of the steamy pages of the "Arabian Nights".

Interpol ‘Misused’ by Human Rights Abusers

By Ida Karlsson
The world's largest international policing organisation Interpol is being used by governments to track down political opponents and human rights campaigners, an IPS investigation reveals.

Military Boot Pushes Down on Democracy

By Cam McGrath
Egypt’s military chief, General Abdel Fatah El-Sissi, who in July announced on state television that the army had ousted Egypt’s first democratically elected president, has tried to wrap a veneer of democracy around actions that most others have condemned as a coup.

Pope Francis: Revolution or Changing to Stay the Same?

By Fabiana Frayssinet
“The rivalry between our countries is over: if the pope is Argentine then God is Brazilian,” Francis joked when journalists asked him why he was so beloved in this country, where millions came out to see him, despite the historic football rivalry between South America’s two giants.

Mixed Verdict for WikiLeaker Bradley Manning

By Jared Metzker
A U.S. military judge ruled Tuesday that Private Bradley Manning, the young soldier who shared a mountain of classified data with the rogue pro-transparency group WikiLeaks, is not guilty of "aiding the enemy".

Cambodian Youth Look for Change

By Michelle Tolson
As Cambodia readies for general elections Sunday Jul. 28, the youth, who make up 36 percent of the country have signaled they are eager for ‘change.’

Unclear Scope for Media Law in Ecuador

By Ángela Meléndez
Ecuador's new media law introduces guarantees to democratise communications. But it has come under fire from critics who say it could set limits on investigative journalism. Many doubts will only be answered once its regulations are passed.
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