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. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

 

Yemeni reporter killed covering clashes, ten others missing
Yemeni journalist Abdallah Azizan was killed while covering clashes between Houthi rebels and pro-government forces in Bayhan. In addition, ten other journalists held by the Houthi rebels have reportedly been moved to an unknown location. RSF

Philippines president Duterte blames corrupt journalism for media killings
President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said journalists were to be blamed if they were killed. He said journalists who take bribes deserve to die, adding that media corruption remains prevalent in the country. CNN PHILIPPINES

Kiev introduces sanctions against 17 Russian media executives
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree enacting the National Security and Defense Council resolution barring 17 Russian reporters, editors, and media executives from entering Ukraine. RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

How Russia’s independent media was dismantled piece by piece
Three senior editors resigned from one of the last independent publications in Russia last week as a result of the mounting pressures on journalists under president Vladimir Putin’s rule. According to insiders, the resignations came as a result of coercion from the Kremlin after anger over several recent investigations. THE GUARDIAN 

Khadija Ismayilova’s victory for human rights *PEN CASE LIST
After spending 537 days in jail, persecuted unjustly in Azerbaijan for exposing corruption in the family of its president, journalist Khadija Ismayilova stepped into the sunshine and made an astonishing declaration. “I’m going to continue my investigations,” she said. 
THE WASHINGTON POST

Colombia: kidnapped journalist and author released by guerrilla
PEN International is delighted to report that the veteran Spanish-Colombian journalist and author Salud Hernández-Mora was released by the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group on the afternoon of May 26, six days after her capture, along with two journalists, Diego D’Pablos and Carlos Melo, who went missing while investigating her disappearance. PEN INTERNATIONAL

Bahrain releases activist Zainab al-Khawaja
Bahraini authorities have released the opposition activist Zainab al-Khawaja, who had been imprisoned with her toddler son since March, on “humanitarian” grounds. Khawaja, who also holds Danish nationality, had been convicted of insulting King Hamad by ripping up a picture of him. THE GUARDIAN