Read in Arabic (بالعربية) Reporters Without Borders has written to King Abdallah of Jordan voicing deep concern about the 2 June administrative decision to block access to some 300 news websites from within Jordan. The letter urges the Jordanian authorities to end this blocking without delay. It also calls for the repeal of certain repressive provisions in the new press law, which was promulgated by royal decree in September 2012. Read an article about Jordan published by RWB on the (…) … Read More
Yemen – RWB sends observations on Yemen to UN Human Rights Council
Read in Arabic (بالعربية) Reporters Without Borders, which has consultative status with the United Nations, has submitted its observations and recommendations on freedom of Information in Yemen to the UN Human Rights Council ahead of Yemen’s Universal Periodic Review by the council during its 18th session in January and February 2014. In its submission, Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern about the situation of journalists, which has deteriorated steadily in the course of the past (…) … Read More
Am I a traitor?
The question hit me like a lightning bolt as I looked in the mirror upon awaking this morning. Am I a traitor to my country, to my fellow citizens of the United States of America? Have I abandoned all sound reason and logic and lost my moral compass? … Read More
Brazil – Call for federal investigation into police abuses during São Paulo protests
Reporters Without Borders calls on the Secretariat for Human Rights and its minister, Maria do Rosário, to investigate acts of violence and grave violations of constitutional rights by the Military Police (PM) during the protests against public transport fare hikes that began in São Paulo five days ago. Similar investigations should be carried out in other cities where abuses of the same nature take place. “The PM’s crackdown on the street protests has been accompanied by serious violations (…) … Read More
Ecuador – New media law – mix of good principles and bad provisions
After several years of controversy and delays, Ecuador’s Organic Law on Communication begins the final stage of approval by the National Assembly today. An international NGO that defends freedom of information, Reporters Without Borders contributed to the debate when the law’s first draft was being discussed in 2010 and it would like to update its comments now. Reporters Without Borders has never questioned the principle of a new media law, one that matches the changes in the national media (…) … Read More
Turkey – Journalists scapegoated in “Occupy Gezi” crisis
At least three journalists were injured during the clashes that occurred yesterday when the police used force to clear Istanbul’s Taksim Square of protesters. “We are becoming increasingly concerned about the dangerous climate for journalists covering Turkey’s protest movement,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Two weeks after the start of the anti-government protests, journalists are the targets of police violence, threats from government officials, and protester suspicion. We urge all parties (…) … Read More
Colombia – Exile of journalists named in murder plot shows need for plan to combat impunity
Three journalists targeted in an assassination plot disclosed by the Colombian authorities on 15 May, Gonzalo Guillen, Leon Valencia (photo) and Ariel Avila, have resigned themselves to a period of temporary exile, despite benefitting from official protection at home. Two of them told Reporters Without Borders that they had reluctantly reached this decision as a compromise between security concerns and their duty to inform the public, which they refuse to forgo. The press freedom (…) … Read More
