Free Expression Daily Digest: Thurs., May 12

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]

China sentences man to seven years in jail for watching ‘sensitive’ film
A man from China’s ethnic Uighur minority has been sentenced to seven years in jail for watching a “sensitive” film about Muslim migration. THE GUARDIAN

Hungary journalists build new site after controversy
In 2014, a Hungarian investigative journalist wrote an exposé about a series of expensive overseas business trips taken by the chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban for the popular website Origo.hu. The story caused mass resignations, apparently due to political pressure on Origo’s parent company, Magyar Telecom. The resignations have led to the creation of a new investigative outlet. GLOBAL JOURNALIST

Migrant deal in question as Turkey refuses terror law change
Turkey has officially refused to change its anti-terror laws to satisfy European Union demands. European Parliament President Martin Schulz said the scope of Turkey’s anti-terror laws “is so far reaching that we think that some of the measures are touching not directly the fight against terrorism but, for example, the freedom of expression and of media.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Egyptian journalists determined to escalate in demand of rights
Journalists in Egypt announced that they would continue their sit-in at the Press Syndicate until the recent crisis with the Interior Ministry is solved, after police forces stormed the syndicate last week and arrested two journalists. DAILY NEWS EGYPT

Polish journalists intend to seek legal action over spying scandal
Polish journalists are seeking to appeal to the Prosecutor’s Office after the unveiling of information about the surveillance f the country’s special services on 52 media employees during the previous government. SPUTNIK INTERNATIONAL

Microsoft exec: no silver bullet to fight terror on internet
Steven A. Crown, vice president and deputy general counsel of Microsoft, said technology companies, states and nongovernmental organizations must work together to “address terrorist use of the internet, including creation and use of counter-narratives,” in a manner that respects privacy and free speech.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS