PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Subscribe here. *This mailing list is currently in BETA as we work out the kinks. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

Lawyer: Jailed Chinese journalist Gao Yu has heart problems
Imprisoned Chinese journalist Gao Yu has been diagnosed with heart problems and a request for parole on medical grounds is pending, her lawyer said Thursday. AP

China is making a massive new move to censor the Internet
China will now be sending “network security officers” into some of the country’s largest Internet companies to monitor them for crimes such as fraud and the “spreading of rumors,” China’s Ministry of Public Security said. The ministry did not say which companies would be required to allow online security police into their offices. TIME

Hundreds of journalists, researchers, and concerned citizens sign letter protesting Netzpolitik treason investigation
The news site Netzpolitik is being investigated for treason after reporting on the German government’s efforts to expand surveillance of online communications. Now, hundreds of journalists from around the world have signed an open letter protesting the investigation, denouncing it as an attack on freedom of the press. TECHDIRT

Controversial cybersecurity bill CISA on hold 
The White House-backed Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act has stalled in the Senate and will likely not be addressed until after summer recess. CISA would allow everyone from banks to data brokers to Facebook to secretly share the information of private citizens with the federal government. THE GUARDIAN

Malaysia issues warrant for British journalist’s arrest
On August 4, Malaysian authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of Clare Rewcastle Brown on a charge of “activity detrimental to democracy”. From her base in London, Brown is the editor of Sarawak Report, an English-language news website that was blocked by Malaysian authorities following its coverage of reports of corruption in a government-managed investment company. REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS

ECHR: 658 violations against journalists in one year
The Egyptian Commission for Human Rights (ECHR) has released a report saying that at least 658 violations against journalists took place during the first year in office of Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.
EGYPT INDEPENDENT

Ivory Coast publisher charged with defamation, insult
A journalist who was imprisoned for almost a week by authorities in the Ivory Coast has been charged with defamation, among other crimes, according to the journalist and news reports. CPJ

Fresh blows to South Sudan’s media freedom
South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) shut down two newspapers and locked up the offices of a radio station this week, dealing a sharp new blow to freedom of expression as the country sinks further into a horrifically abusive conflict. HRW

South Africa’s camera-shy police target journalists
Incidents of police harassment against journalists continue, despite Standing Order 156, which doesn’t even cover citizen journalists. INDEX ON CENSORSHIP

The “Right to Be Forgotten” – what are the consequences?
Over a year ago, Europe’s highest court ruled that search engines were required to the “right to be forgotten.” Under the ruling, Europeans who felt misrepresented by search results could ask search engines like Google to delink the material. Many have warned of dire consequences for free expression and the historical record if the right to be forgotten becomes widely adopted. THE NEW YORK TIMES