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Trial opens for journalists charged with defaming Thai Navy
Testimony started Tuesday in a criminal defamation lawsuit the Thai navy has filed against a small news website over a report it posted alleging naval forces accepted money to abet or turn a blind eye to the seaborne trafficking of refugees from Myanmar. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Opposition journalist in Russia’s Buryatia attacked
The chief editor of the opposition website Asia-Russia Today has been severely beaten by unknown attackers. RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY

Prominent Malaysian blogger arrested under Sedition Act for social media post
A prominent blogger, who goes by the handle “Papagomo”, has been arrested under the Sedition Act in connection with the riot at a Kuala Lumpur shopping mall on Sunday. THE STRAITS TIMES

Iran nuclear deal no breakthrough for Post journalist held in Tehran
The fate of several Americans held in Iran, including a Washington Post journalist detained last July, remains separate from the historic nuclear deal announced Tuesday, even after U.S. officials repeatedly raised the issue with Tehran. THE WASHINGTON POST

Kenya press freedom rapidly deteriorating, rights group says
Kenya’s constitution adopted in 2010 guarantees media freedom but since taking power in 2013 President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee coalition has introduced several bills calling for harsh fines and jail terms for journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Balkan journalists face threats and intimidation, says report
Journalists in several Balkan countries work in hostile environments that affect their ability to carry out their work, says a report issued by Human Rights Watch (HRW). THE GUARDIAN

Jordan: journalists, writers facing terrorism charges
Jordanian authorities are curtailing media freedom by detaining and bringing charges against journalists under broad and vague provisions of the country’s terrorism law. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Uganda: Communications Commission directive threatens election reporting
A directive issued to all broadcasters by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and the media, as it attempts to restrict journalists’ ability to report freely on the upcoming presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections in Uganda. ALL AFRICA