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]

Mexican newspaper reporter and broadcaster shot dead
Mexican journalist Francisco Pacheco Beltrán was shot dead in front of his home on Monday, according to local press reports cited by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Pacheco, who had not received any threats, reported for several newspapers and broadcast for Capital Máxima, a radio station based in Guerrero’s state capital, Chilpancingo. THE GUARDIAN

Ilham Tohti, scholar jailed in China, is nominated for rights award *PEN Case List
A prominent Uighur scholar who is serving a life sentence for separatism in a Chinese prison was named on Wednesday as a finalist for a prestigious human rights award for trying to promote dialogue in the troubled Xinjiang region of China. The scholar, Ilham Tohti, was chosen by the Martin Ennals Foundation, based in Switzerland. THE NEW YORK TIMES

Israel silencing detained Palestinian journalist, says wife
Omar Nazzal, 53, was seized over the weekend at an Israeli-run crossing between the West Bank and Jordan. At the time, he was heading to a meeting of the European Federation of Journalists in Bosnia. The federation has condemned Nazzal’s detention and urged Israel to release him immediately. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Prominent journalist denied work permit in Ukraine
One of the most influential journalists on Ukrainian television was denied a work permit on Tuesday, authorities said. Migration authorities said they wouldn’t extend the permit for Savik Shuster, host of a popular political talk show, because he failed to inform them of a tax investigation against him. ABC NEWS

Extremism charges made against Russian blogger for Syria post
Moscow investigators levied criminal charges against the man considered to be the godfather of Russia’s blogosphere, accusing him of extremism for a post that called for “wiping Syria off the face of the Earth.” Nosik has not denied publishing the remark about Syria in October and making similar comments in a radio interview later. RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY

Las Vegas columnist quits after being banned from covering newspaper owner
Columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal John L. Smith quit Tuesday after being told that he was banned from covering the paper’s owner, billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. Wrote Smith in his resignation letter, “If you don’t have the freedom to call the community’s heavyweights to account, then that ‘commentary’ tag isn’t worth the paper on which it’s printed.” MEDIAITE

Jagendra Singh, deceased India journalist, gets Press Club award for bravery
Uttar Pradesh-based journalist Jagendra Singh, who was killed allegedly for his exposés on illegal sand mining and other misdemeanors, was on Tuesday honored posthumously with “RedInk Veer Patrakar Puraskar” by Mumbai Press Club in Mumbai. Singh’s daughter Diksha Singh received the award on behalf of her father. FIRSTPOST