Free Expression Daily Digest: Tues., May 3

PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

Iran cartoonist freed; President calls for free expression
An Iranian cartoonist imprisoned over portraying lawmakers as animals to criticize a draft law restricting contraception and criminalizing voluntary sterilization was released from prison Tuesday, her lawyer said.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bangladesh blogger seeks US help as threats escalate
Bangladeshi blogger and social activist Ashif Entaz Rabi is in Washington at the invitation of a human rights group, calling attention to the dozens of writers and bloggers who fear they could be the next victim of a wave of savage attacks on liberals and religious minorities in Bangladesh. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

World Press Freedom Day comes amid tough times for journalists
World Press Freedom Day aims to raise awareness of press freedom. It falls this year on Tuesday, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law and the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of press freedom principles in Africa. USA TODAY

Nepal arrests Canadian man over ‘provocative’ Twitter post
A Canadian man in Nepal who writes frequently about political issues on social media was arrested on Monday afternoon after “posting a provocative message on Twitter aimed at spreading social discord,” according a Nepalese immigration official. THE NEW YORK TIMES

Four arrested in slaying of Honduran environmental activist
Honduran authorities arrested four people Monday in the killing of environmental activist Berta Caceres, including an active duty army officer and at least one man who worked for a hydroelectric project she opposed. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Memos from Egypt’s interior ministry leaked to journalists
Memos containing internal instructions from Egypt’s Interior Ministry were leaked to the media on Tuesday, outlining strategies on how to deflect public outrage over arrests it made inside the journalists’ union, handle the media in general, and deal with the case of an Italian student found tortured to death.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS