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]

Radio host is eighth journalist killed in Brazil in 2015
Police are investigating the murder of radio host Luiz Manoel Souza, 48, who was killed on Dec. 7 in a rural area of Ubá after being shot by a group of men. The men shot at his car and tires, forcing Souza to flee to a wooded area, which is when he was shot. There are two lines of thought concerning the motive: the crime was motivated by passion or by allegations of misconduct that Souza made on the radio. JOURNALISM IN THE AMERICAS

Fugitive South Korean activist surrenders after temple standoff
After negotiations between police and Buddhist leaders, Han Sang-Gyun, the head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, was allowed a choreographed exit from the Jogye Temple complex, surrounded by hundreds of uniformed police. Han had sought refuge in the temple following a massive anti-government demonstration on Nov. 14. “I have been fighting to stop laws that would make it easier to dismiss workers. It seems this has made me the most wanted fugitive in the country,” he said upon leaving. GULF NEWS

Kenya aims to expose rogue journalists with new verification system
The Media Council of Kenya has launched a mobile system to ensure professionalism in the media industry, giving users the ability to establish the status of any journalist accredited by the council through a mobile phone and thus stop cases of impersonation and bribery. The system was developed in response to numerous complaints of people posing as journalists to solicit money or other favors from the public. ALL AFRICA

Photojournalist Shawkan to stand trial in Egypt after over two years
Following more than 850 days in remand, photojournalist Mahmoud Abou-Zeid, better known as Shawkan, will stand trial this week in the case of the “Rabaa sit-in dispersal” after being held in pre-trial detention for over two years, which violates Egypt’s penal code. Since Shawkan’s arrest, there has been no action taken whatsoever despite the support he and other detained journalists have received from the international community. DAILY NEWS EGYPT

Russian journalist suspected of espionage will leave Poland
A Russian journalist who has come under suspicion of espionage in Poland — but who has never been confronted with specific spying accusations by Polish authorities — is being forced to leave Poland. Leonid Sviridov told the AP on Thursday that he will leave Warsaw on Saturday after running out of legal options for staying on in Poland, where he has worked as a journalist for many years. ABC NEWS

Notepads, guns, and cocaine: The isolated life of a Paraguayan journalist
Five journalists have been murdered in Paraguay since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists; some of the killings were reportedly orchestrated by politicians. Out of 180 countries, the World Press Freedom Index ranked Paraguay 109th this year. It’s a state of affairs that requires many journalists to censor themselves to survive. VICE

Empowering digital Tibet: An interview with activist Lhadon Tethong
Lhadon Tethong, one of the most prominent and recognizable leaders in the Tibetan freedom movement, first became a spokeswoman on Tibetan issues after her speech at the 1998 Tibetan Freedom Concerts inspired a new generation of supporters. In this interview, Lhadon speaks about her work, Chinese cyber surveillance, and the future of digital rights in Tibet. IFEX