FCCJ: The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan aggregator

RSF Asia: Malaysia - Campaign for Internal Security Act's repeal

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:53:32 +0900

Demonstrations are to be held in several Malaysian cities on 1 August, the 50 anniversary of the Internal Security Act (ISA), to press the authorities to repeal this draconian law. The protest organisers include the human rights group Suaram (http://www.suaram.net/) and Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (http://himpunanmansuhisa.wordpress.com/), a movement specially created to campaign for its repeal.

RSF Asia: Russia - Court orders YouTube and four other sites blocked over “extremist” content

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:43:10 +0900

Reporters Without Borders condemns the draconian and disproportionate ruling issued by judge Anna Eisenberg in the Russian far-east city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 16 July ordering local Internet Service Provider RA-RTS Rosnet to block access to video-sharing website YouTube and four other websites from 3 August onwards.

RSF Asia: Spain Iraq - Investigation into Spanish cameraman's death revived

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:55:48 +0900

Reporters Without Borders hails yesterday's decision by Spain's national court to reissue international warrants for the arrest of three US soldiers who are blamed for the 2003 death of Telecinco cameraman José Couso in Baghdad.

RSF Asia: China - Journalist put on “most wanted” list for accusing company of improprieties

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:07:07 +0900

Reporters Without Borders firmly condemns the action of the police in Suichang, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, in putting reporter Qiu Ziming of The Economic Observer weekly on the list of the country's most wanted criminals because of allegations he made about a Suichang-based battery manufacturer, Kan Specialties Material Corporation.

RSF Asia: Pakistan - Murder attempts against three journalists, a fourth beaten unconscious

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:58:19 +0900

Reporters Without Borders condemns an escalation in violence against journalists in the past few weeks including three murder attempts (two in Bajaur, in the Tribal Areas, and one in Hyderabad) and a severe beating in Hyderabad.

“Aside from the duty of the security forces to protect journalists, it is vital that armed groups, especially the Taliban insurgents, put an immediate stop to their threats and attacks on the media. The influence of Pakistan's TV stations is such that their provincial correspondents have become favourite targets. TV station owners must quickly find ways to give their employees better protection.”

RSF Asia: Colombia - Protest by gagged journalists to demand respect for free expression

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:45:10 +0900

Journalists employed by two radio stations in Yopal, the capital of the northeastern department of Casanare, stopped work today and demonstrated silently, with their mouths gagged, in the city's main square to protest against a lawsuit targeting eight of their colleagues and to demand respect for freedom of information.

RSF Asia: Thailand - Does state of emergency justify censorship of Red Shirt media?

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:15:43 +0900

Control of media that are affiliated to or support the Red Shirt movement has been reinforced considerably since a state of emergency was imposed in Bangkok and many other provinces. A TV station, radio stations, websites and newspapers have been censored, banned, forcibly closed or prosecuted.

RSF Asia: United Arab Emirates - Wave of arrests of BlackBerry Messenger users

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:21:24 +0900

The Emirati authorities have been harassing and arresting users of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) who allegedly tried to organise a protest against an increase in the price of gasoline (one of the highest in the Arab world). The protest was eventually called off. BBM user Badr Ali Saiwad Al Dhohori, an 18-year-old resident of Ras Al Khaimah, has reportedly been held in Abu Dhabi since 15 July.

RSF Asia: Russia - Two journalists arbitrarily arrested while covering attack on Khimki forest protesters

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:45:17 +0900

Reporters Without Borders is shocked to learn that Elena Kostyuchenko, a reporter for the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta, and Yury Timofeyev, a reporter for Prague-based Radio Liberty, were arrested while covering the violent dispersal of environmentalists who had camped out at Khimki forest, north of Moscow, in an attempt to prevent part of it being torn down.

RSF Asia: Tunisia - Journalists harassed

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:41:20 +0900

The Tunisian authorities have in the past few days stepped up their harassment of journalists who dare to criticise the government and defend freedom of expression.

“We are very worried by the measures taken to intimidate journalists and restrict their fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression and assembly,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The authorities are also trying to rein in criticism of journalist Fahem Boukadous' imprisonment. We reiterate our call for his immediate and unconditional release.”