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]

Preliminary hearing scheduled for Khadija Ismayilova
An Azerbaijani court of appeal will hold a preliminary hearing for Khadija Ismayilova on Oct. 15. The journalist’s team intends to seek full acquittal of Ismayilova on all counts, including “incitement to suicide,” her lawyer said. CONTACT.AZ

Syrian software engineer Bassel Khartabil transferred to unknown location
Bassel Khartabil, whose whereabouts are currently unknown, has been imprisoned in Syria for nearly four years. He is credited with opening up the Syrian Internet and extending online access and knowledge to the public. GLOBAL VOICES

Viral video shows Turkish cop putting gun to journalist’s head
During a raid by Turkish special forces on Sunday, an angry policeman charged at a journalist who questioned why TV news cameramen were not being allowed to film. The video shows the officer chasing the journalist with his pistol alongside another policeman armed with an assault rifle. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES

Opinion: India’s attack on free speech
The murders of scholars and activists in India share striking similarities with the killings of four Bangladeshi bloggers this year. But while there was a global outcry over what happened in Bangladesh, India is hiding behind its patina of legitimacy granted by being the world’s largest democracy. NEW YORK TIMES

Somali security forces arrest two reporters after TV broadcast
After moderating a debate between lawmakers critical of Ethiopia’s deployment of troops in the country, two reporters at Universal TV have been detained. The head of the channel’s news department said no reasons were given for the arrests. BLOOMBERG

Government warns Thai protesters who staged ‘virtual sit-in’
Thailand’s government is threatening legal action against web activists who launched cyber attacks on state agency websites in a bid to derail the government’s proposal to restrict the flow of online information, causing sporadic disruptions of several government home pages. BANGKOK POST

One arrested, six released in assault on Ahmet Hakan
One of seven suspects in an attack on Turkish news columnist Ahmet Hakan was arrested Sunday while six others were released. Hakan was beaten in front of his house on Oct. 1 after facing threats for publishing views critical of the AK Party government. TODAY’S ZAMAN

New ‘Reporta’ app may be anything but secure
Billed as the only comprehensive security app for journalists, ‘Reporta’ may pose risks for its users. Secure-messaging developer Frederic Jacobs reverse-engineered the app’s binary and concluded, “Sloppy engineering. Reporta is forensics & analytics rich.” MOTHERBOARD

Kenyan and Angolan journalists awarded prize for integrity
Two African journalists known for exposing corruption in their respective countries have been named the joint recipients of the 2015 Allard Prize for International Integrity. The $100,000 prize is one of the world’s largest awards recognizing efforts to combat corruption and promote human rights. MAKA ANGOLA