Free Expression Digest: Mon. March 7
Seized Turkish daily newspaper 'now pro-government,' French parliament votes to penalize smartphone makers over encryption, British businessman faces cybercrime charges in the United Arab Emirates. More
Hong Kong: Bookseller’s Return Welcome News but Colleagues Remain in Detention
Bookseller Lui Por’s return to Hong Kong is welcome news, but the continuing detention of his four colleagues is an ongoing violation of free expression and Hong Kong’s constitution,… More
Turkey: Commandeering of Newspapers Blatant Attempt to Wipe Out Free Press
A court order to appoint trustees to oversee the Turkish newspapers Zaman and Today’s Zaman is an astonishingly blatant attempt to wipe out Turkey’s free press, PEN America said… More
Brazil: Arrest of Facebook Executive a Drastic and Unnecessary Measure
The arrest of a Facebook executive by Brazilian authorities over the inability of Whatsapp, a Facebook subsidiary, to hand over data it does not have is an egregious judicial… More
Joint Letter to Rouhani: Secure Release of Iranian Cartoonist Atena Farghadani
PEN American is among 40 rights groups who have signed a letter to President Hassan Rouhani below, asking him to work with Iran’s judiciary to release cartoonist Atena Farghadani. More
Egypt: Sentencing of Novelist a Direct Attack on Writers
The sentencing of Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji to two years in prison for “violating public modesty” is a direct attack on writers that underscores the dire state of free… More
Bangladesh: Defamation Charges Against Editor Representative of Broader Attacks on Media
The filing of 38 lawsuits against editor Mahfuz Anam on charges of criminal defamation and sedition is an indication of the worsening state of free expression in Bangladesh, PEN… More
Bahrain: Charging of U.S. Journalists Signals Kingdom’s Ongoing Hostility towards Free Speech
Bahraini authorities’ decision to arrest and charge four U.S. journalists for reporting on a protest marking the fifth anniversary of pro-democracy uprisings in the kingdom is a clear violation… More
India: PEN Delhi Condemns Attack on Journalists Covering Sedition Hearing
Statement by PEN Delhi condemning the attack on journalists assembled in a court complex in Delhi to report on a court hearing of Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) student president… More
India: Journalist Must be Protected from Further Harassment
The recent harassment of Chhattisgarh-based journalist, Malini Subramaniam is a deeply worrying development for freedom of expression in India, PEN said today, as it called on the Indian authorities… More