WAN Calendar of Events

Press Freedom Protests

 

WAN has written to the following governments and organisations to protest abuses of press freedom.

Texts of selected protests are linked below. For additional information please send an e-mail to contact_us@wan.asso.fr

 
Ghana
To express serious concern at death threats made against Gina Ama Blay, the Chief Executive Officer of The Daily Guide.
Zimbabwe
To call on President Mugabe to immediately lift the punitive “luxury” tax imposed on imported newspapers, magazines and periodicals.
Turkmenistan
To express serious concern at the abduction, torture and forcible psychiatric hospitalisation of journalist Sazak Durdymuradov.
Myanmar
To call on General Than Shwe once again to release journalist U Win Tin.
Bermuda
To express serious concern at the government’s decision to withdraw advertising from The Royal Gazette.
Sri Lanka
To express grave concern at the murder of journalist P. Devakumar.
Pakistan
To express grave concern at the murder of journalist Mohammed Ibrahim.
China
To express serious concern at the jailing of journalists Qi Chonghuai and He Yanjie, and the continued crackdown on freedom of expression ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games.
China
To express serious concern at the detention of writer Zhou Yuanzhi and the continued crackdown on freedom of expression ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games.
Russia
To express serious concern at draft legislation that would give authorities the power to close media outlets for alleged libel.
Zimbabwe
To protest against press freedom violations during the recent elections, including the jailing of two foreign journalists.
UN Human Rights Council
To express dismay at the adoption of a resolution that undermines the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Opinion and Expression.
Belarus
To express serious concern at the arrest of two journalists, one of whom was severely beaten by police, while covering a demonstration in Minsk, and the ongoing intimidation of the independent press.
International Olympic Committee
To call on the Chinese authorities to fully respect the promises they made to respect freedom of expression in their preparations to host the Beijing Olympics.
China
To protest against the crackdown on coverage of events in Tibet and the banning of foreign media.
Somalia
To express serious concern at the adoption by parliament of a media law that seriously threatens press freedom.
Somalie
Pour d’exprimer notre profonde inquiétude concernant l’adoption par le Parlement d’une loi sur les médias, qui représente une menace sérieuse pour la liberté de la presse.
China
To express serious concern at the continued jailing of journalist Shi Tao, winner of the 2007 WAN Golden Pen of Freedom.
Algérie
Pour protester avec véhémence contre la condamnation d’Omar Belhouchet, directeur du quotidien El Watan, et de Chawki Amari, chroniqueur, à deux mois de prison pour diffamation.
Algeria
To vehemently protest the condemnation of Omar Belhouchet, publisher of El Watan, and columnist Chawki Amari, to two months in prison for defamation.
Tchad
Pour exprimer notre profonde inquiétude au sujet de l’adoption par décret d’une nouvelle loi sévère sur la presse qui allonge les peines de prison pour les délits de presse, et rend le lancement d’un journal encore plus difficile.
Chad
To express serious concern at the adoption by decree of a harsh new press law that increases jail sentences for press “crimes” and makes it much more difficult to launch a newspaper.
Timor-Leste
To express serious concern at the arrest and beating of a journalist by police.
Croatia
To express serious concern at a death threat being made against journalist Drago Hedl.
Croatie
Pour exprimer notre profonde inquiétude au sujet de la menace de mort proférée à l’encontre du journaliste Drago Hedl.
China
To express serious concern at the jailing of cyber-dissident Lu Gengsong.
Slovak Republic
To express serious concerns regarding the proposed Press Act.
Sierra Leone
To welcome the government’s announcement that it will decriminalise libel in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone
Pour saluer l’annonce faite par le gouvernement de son intention de dépénaliser la diffamation en Sierra Leone.
Kazakhstan
To express serious concern at the blocking of several websites and the selective application of regulations to censor the Internet.
Afghanistan
To express grave concern at the sentencing to death of journalist Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh.
Yemen
To express serious concern at the blocking of at least eight websites.
China
To express serious concern at the jailing of two journalists and one photographer.
Chad
To express serious concern at the prosecution of journalist Nadjikimo Benoudjita and the closure of his newspaper.
Tchad
Pour faire part de notre inquiétude concernant les poursuites judiciaires engagées à l’encontre du journaliste Nadjikimo Benoudjita et la fermeture de son journal.
Afghanistan
To express grave concern at the murder of Norwegian journalist Carsten Thomassen.
Belarus
To express serious concern at the jailing of journalist Alexander for printing controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
China
To express serious concern at the continued detention of journalist Hu Jia almost one month after his arrest.
China
To express serious concern at the continued detention of journalist Fan Yingshang ahead of the twelfth anniversary of his sentencing.
Tanzania
To express serious concern at a violent assault on two journalists.
China
To express serious concern at the arrest of writer Wang Dejia.

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