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]

U.N. human rights advocates call on Qatar to free jailed poet
Several of the United Nations’ top human rights experts have publicly urged Qatar to release a local poet convicted of inciting the overthrow of the government. The call comes two years after Qatar’s highest court upheld a 15-year prison sentence against Mohammed Rashid al-Ajami. DOHA NEWS

Angolan rapper on hunger strike breathes life into “Freedom Now” movement
Activist and musician Luaty Beirão has reportedly become so weak that he is no longer able to drink water and has begun fainting. His desperate actions have alerted the world community to the human rights violations committed by Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos’s regime. GLOBAL VOICES

French media file lawsuit after reporter is assaulted in Burundi
French news agency AFP and FRANCE 24’s sister radio station RFI filed a complaint after their correspondent in Burundi was held and badly beaten by security forces in August. Esdras Ndikumana, 54, was taking pictures at the scene where a top general was assassinated when he was detained by members of the National Intelligence Service. FRANCE 24

India: Journalist shot at in Uttar Pradesh
A journalist was shot at by unidentified assailants who tried to rob him in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj district, police said. Deepak Gupta was critically wounded in the incident, which took place Monday evening as he was on his way to pick up his wife from work. ONEINDIA

Twitter may be censoring report on U.S. drone assassinations
Twitter is limiting certain tweets from appearing on select user accounts, according to activists. It’s not clear at the moment whether the disappearing tweets are due to a bug, or whether the company is actually censoring mentions of a report on the U.S. military’s reliance on largely unconfirmable data to justify assassinations. VICE MOTHERBOARD

Two accused of posting “false information” under new Tanzanian cybercrime law
Two Tanzanian citizens have been charged under the country’s new Cybercrimes Act for posting what authorities claim to be “false information” on social media. They are the first individuals to be charged under the law since it was passed in the country’s parliament in April 2015. GLOBAL VOICES ADVOCACY

Hong Kong bookstores display Beijing’s clout
In stores owned by Sino United Publishing, the biggest bookseller and publisher in Hong Kong, books that paint Chinese politicians in a bad light are either not available or tucked out of sight on shelves far from heavily trafficked areas. NEW YORK TIMES