PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Subscribe here. *This mailing list is currently in BETA as we work out the kinks. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

Egypt court delays al-Jazeera verdict *PEN Case List
A long-awaited verdict in the retrial of three al-Jazeera journalists charged in Egypt was unexpectedly delayed today. Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed arrived at their trial expecting their 18-month ordeal to come to an end, but they were barred from entering. The journalists have already spent over 400 days in jail for their work. THE GUARDIAN
 
Azerbaijan: Jailed journalist Khadija Ismayilova honored by US National Press Club *PEN Case List
Imprisoned investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova has won the US National Press Club’s most prestigious press freedom award. Ismayilova has been held in pretrial detention by Azerbaijani authorities for 234 days on charges described by her and human rights groups as politically motivated retribution for her reporting. OCCRP
 
UK denies Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei long-term visa *PEN Case List
Ai Weiwei will likely be unable to attend his exhibition installation and opening in London in September due to the UK’s claim that he submitted false information regarding his criminal records in his visa application. TIME
 
NSA sets date to destroy phone records collected under surveillance program
The NSA will soon stop examining the millions of phone records of American citizens collected under the controversial surveillance program exposed by Edward Snowden. Under the new plan, the procured records will be purged after the mandatory time frame. IB TIMES
 
Rights groups denounce Bahrain’s ongoing detention of blogger Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace, stage protest in solidarity with his 132-day hunger strike *PEN Case List
Rights groups gathered outside the Bahrain Embassy in London yesterday to protest Al-Singace’s detention. He was arrested in 2011 for participating in peaceful protests, and was subjected to torture by security officials during his imprisonment. He was sentenced to life in prison by a military court in for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government. INDEX ON CENSORSHIP
 
Human rights group demands release of Turkmenistan photojournalist
Human Rights Watch has called on the authorities in Turkmenistan to release photojournalist Saparmamed Nepeskuliev, who has been secretly detained for weeks on charges believed to be politically motivated. He has been denied contact with his lawyer and his family. THE GUARDIAN
 
Malaysia silences the press amid corruption scandal
Malaysia’s Home Ministry has suspended two newspapers for three months for publishing reports exposing corruption in a government-managed investment company that implicated the Prime Minister. A news website was blocked shortly after, when the government found it guilty publishing information related to the scandal. THE DIPLOMAT
 
Turkish authorities block access to news websites
Turkish authorities blocked access to at least eight news websites in Turkey on Saturday amid what the government called a counter-terrorism operation, according to news reports. COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS
 
Israel’s secret-keeper seeks censorship reform
Sima Vaknin-Gill may be Israel’s last chief military censor. After 10 years in a role that stirs frequent annoyance and occasional dread among journalists, Vaknin-Gill wants her office, which dates back to the country’s wartime founding, replaced with a streamlined civilian agency more in sync with contemporary media freedoms. REUTERS
 
Rights groups urge Olympic Committee against another Beijing Olympics
Several rights groups wrote open letters to the International Olympic Committee this week, advising it not to award the 2022 winter Games to Beijing at a secret ballot to determine the host country Friday. The letters argue that China’s human rights record had worsened since the 2008 Olympics in the Chinese capital. AL JAZEERA AMERICA

TAKE ACTION: Our friends at English PEN are part of a campaign demanding an end to the imprisonment of Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace. Use the hashtag #SingaceHungerStrike to share the details of his case on social media, and add your name to the petition for his release here.