Journalist must pay to cover elections in Ghana
Journalists would have to pay to be accredited by Ghana’s Electoral Commission to have access to polling centers during voting on Dec. 7. Ghana’s Electoral Commission stated: “Accreditation tags will be given to only those who have formally applied for it and for a fee to be determined by the Commission.”
GHANAWEB

Japanese journalist detained in Iraq is released
A Japanese freelance journalist detained by local authorities in Iraq was released Monday after having been initially suspected of being a member of the Islamic State group.
THE JAPAN TIMES

China passes ‘draconian’ cyber security law
China has today passed a controversial cybersecurity bill, tightening restrictions on online freedom of speech. The bill also imposes new rules on online service providers, raising concerns it is further cloistering its heavily controlled internet.
THE DAILY MAIL

Montreal mayor supports police chief despite journalist surveillance
Montreal’s mayor is standing by the city’s police chief amid new reports of police surveillance of journalists’ phones. Denis Coderre says asking Chief Philippe Pichet to resign without a full inquiry would amount to a “public lynching.”
CTV NEWS

Beyond 18C: six barriers to freedom of speech in Australia
As parliament enters its last few weeks of the year some politicians and news organizations have once again taken up the attack against section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which prohibits offending, insulting, humiliating or intimidating someone on the grounds of race.
THE GUARDIAN

Serbia’s censorship debate
The state of Serbian media has been in a state of constant revolution over the last 15 years. The government, and its supporters, say that the media are free but critics are apprehensive, claiming that the government exercises its power in a different way.
AL JAZEERA

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]