Afghanistan: Three journalists arrested for publishing music and communicating with female listeners
The Afghanistan Journalists Center has condemned the arrests and called for the urgent release of the journalists.
Iran arrests Kurdish editor-in-chief, Iranian cartoonist, sues several newspapers
“Authorities must realize that jailing journalists and critical voices won’t help them in hiding Iran’s difficult realities.” — CPJ
From Sharing to Silence: Assessing social media suppression of SRHR content in WANA
SMEX examines platform content moderation policies for sexual and reproductive health and rights in the region.
Saudi Arabia appointed chair of UN Women’s Rights Forum: Analyzing the absurdity of the decision
For years, the Kingdom has arrested women’s rights activists who campaigned to end the male guardianship system.
Screens become mightier than the sword in the fight for accountability
Ugandans turn to digital spaces to push for transparency and accountability and spotlight parliament’s excesses.
Myanmar: Crackdown on freedom of expression with 24-hour monitoring
ARTICLE 19 warns that a new order issued by the military government “adds another tool to the junta’s censorship arsenal.”
How Mexico’s protection mechanism is failing journalists, Colombia takes a step in the right direction, plus Haiti’s endangered media
March in the Americas: A free expression round-up produced by IFEX’s Regional Editor Laura Vidal, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
A travesty of justice in DRC, civic space confined in Mali and Burkina Faso, and a standoff in Ghana
March 2024 in Africa: A free expression round-up produced by IFEX’s Regional Editor Reyhana Masters, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
Repression and resistance in Belarus: A monthly chronology
A monthly chronology of repression and resistance in Belarus, based on the work of IFEX members and other international and domestic actors.
Russia: Six reporters arrested in a span of a few hours
One arrested journalist, Konstantin Zharov, was beaten by police and threatened with sexual violence. Accused of “disobeying the police,” he is facing a possible fine and up to 15 days in detention.
Ugandan LGBT rights group caught between a rock and a hard place
A petition by the Sexual Minorities Uganda Group (SMUG) to compel the government to register its name was rejected on the basis that it goes against “public interest.”
PEN International documents 122 cases of persecuted writers worldwide
PEN International’s Case List for 2023/2024 records 14 cases of writers targeted in Africa, 36 in the Americas, 24 in the Asia-Pacific region, 32 in Europe and Central Asia and 16 in the Middle East and North Africa.
Dangerous ground: ‘Unprecedented conditions’ for journalists in Palestine, Sudan
February 2024 in MENA: A free expression round-up produced by IFEX’s Regional Editor Naseem Tarawnah, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
UN: Cybercrime Convention still deeply flawed after seven sessions
“Even after seven sessions of negotiations, there is still no consensus on the basic scope of the Convention or its safeguards against misuse” – ARTICLE 19