Egypt: Journalists Continue Protests
October 19th, 2010 by Evan
Egyptian journalist continued to protest the firing of Al-Dostor editor Ibrahim Eissa yesterday at the Higher Press Council’s headquarters. The protesters are calling on the new owner of Al-Dostor, Reda Edward, to meet their demands, which include the reinstatement of Eissa and executive chief editor Ibrahim Mansour. According to the journalists, Eissa’s sacking was planned by Edward and Wafd party chairman Sayed Badawi, who is also a co-owner of Al-Dostor, long before the recent crackdown on press freedom in Egypt began. “‘It was just a matter of time before Badawi and Edward got rid of Issa. The approaching elections hastened their decision but it was going to happen sooner or later,’” Al-Dostor journalist Hazem Fouad told the Los Angeles Times.
Posted in Egypt, Journalism, Middle Eastern Media | Comment »
Egypt: What the International Press Can Do in Egypt
October 18th, 2010 by Evan
At the New Statesman’s blog, Jack Shenkar writes that the sacking of Al-Dostour editor Ibrahim Eissa is indicative of the Egyptian government’s commitment to controlling the press ahead of the parliamentary election. “From the establishment of Al-Dostour in 1995, to its closure in 1998 and triumphant re-emergence in 2005, right up to the trials, sentences and pardons of 2007 onwards, Eissa has been a bellwether for the health of the independent media sector, dredging ever-shifting invisible red lines to the surface - normally by stepping over them,” Shenkar writes. With space for domestic journalist tightening the international press must step up to fill the information void, Shenkar says: “Although it can never be a sustainable alternative to good quality domestic reporting, international press reports can serve as a vital enabler to local media outlets. […] With other sources of debate and dissent being shut down, it’s imperative that foreign journalists exploit their inherent logistical advantages to the full.”
Posted in Egypt, Journalism | Comment »
Iran: Mixed Messages About Media
October 18th, 2010 by Anna
Reuters quoted Iran’s senior Culture Ministry official Ehsan Ghazizadeh yesterday as threatening that print media outlets will be closed if they publish information about opposition movements. Ghazizadeh, who has oversight over domestic media, reportedly said: “Those publications that publish statements and pictures of the sedition (opposition) leaders will be warned and then closed down if they continue to do so,” adding that financial support may be denied to outlets that “do not cover news related to pro-government events.”
Today, however, Radio Free Europe reports that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has encouraged citizens to document his upcoming trip to Qom through videos, photo, and audio recordings. His office says that it will post reports on his website. The message is in apparent contrast with previous comments by Khamenei – last October, for example, he said (Farsi) that “the media…is the most powerful weapon and it is even worse and more dangerous than the atomic bomb.”
Posted in Iran, Journalism, Technology | 1 Comment »
Egypt: TV Broadcasters Targeted as Media Freedom Rollback Continues
October 14th, 2010 by Evan
Egyptian telecommunication regulators have enacted new restrictions that the Associated Press says will “effectively put all live broadcasts, including TV talk shows and news bulletins, under the control of state television.” Yesterday, the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority canceled the permits of companies providing live broadcast services in Egypt. The companies will now have to obtain new licenses from the state television service, the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU). The new restrictions are the latest in a series of attacks on press freedom in Egypt and they represent the most serious rollback yet, according to commentator Issandr El Amrani: “That, to me, is much more of an indicator of wanting to restrict media and potential coverage of live events (such as electoral fraud and violence) than the new rules governing SMSs, which should be welcomed if implemented in a reasonable manner.”
Posted in Egypt, Journalism, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: Eissa Firing “Without a Doubt Political”
October 11th, 2010 by Anna
In an opinion article in Al Masry Al Youm, Hassan Nafaa writes: “Al-Dostour’s recently dismissed chief editor, Ibrahim Eissa, was not fired due to ordinary disputes over administrative or editorial issues. The decision to remove Eissa was without a doubt political.” He mentions that Eissa clashed with the newspapers new owner, Wafd Party leader Al-Sayed al-Bedawy, in part because of “extremely sensitive political circumstances” in Egypt. For instance, the Wafd Party recently agreed to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections without first ensuring that they will be free and fair. Moreover, the Wafd party has helped the regime attack other political opposition movements in Egypt. Nafaa asks: “Does al-Badawy not know that the only one who stands to benefit from the sacking of a valiant opposition figure like Eissa is the regime itself? Why then would the Wafd leader decide to do such a thing?”
Meanwhile, al-Bedawy sold all of his shares in the paper to Al Doustour’s executive chairman of the board of directors, Reda Edward. Edward reportedly bought the shares to prevent “the paper’s reporters from taking control of the board,” and stated that Eissa will not return to the independent daily.
Posted in Egypt, Journalism | Comment »
Turkey: “Treatment of Journalists Has Deteriorated Under Erdogan”
October 11th, 2010 by Anna
In an article for Radio Free Europe, Robert Tait describes “the dangers to life and liberty faced by Turkish journalists who dare to probe figures of authority.” Citing the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI), he writes that 48 journalists are currently imprisoned in Turkey, and another 700 face “lengthy sentences” after being charged with violating press and antiterrorism laws. Often, Turkish journalists are prosecuted for publishing publicly available documents. According to Ferai Tinc, the chairperson of the IPI’s Turkey National Committee, “The prison sentences regarding the journalists were introduced [by the AKP] during the Turkish reforms which Turkey was obliged to make for the European Union,” including press and antiterror laws. Regarding Turkey’s EU ambitions, Richard Howitt, a British member of the European Parliament, argues: “It will do Turkey’s membership ambitions good if reforms take place that ensure that human rights are fully respected…In the long run, if a free, independent, and pluralistic media is embedded within Turkey, that is going to advance Turkey’s European ambitions, and I have to say, it’s good for Turkey as a democracy itself.”
Posted in Freedom, Journalism, Turkey | Comment »
Egypt: Government Crackdown Signals “Cairo Autumn”
October 6th, 2010 by Anna
In an opinion piece for Al Masry Al Youm, blogger Issandr El Amrani chronicles the ebbs and flows of political reform in Egypt over the last few decades. He asserts that “swelling and then retreating, [political openings] have had little permanence,” and measures to liberalize Egyptian politics and society are often window dressings that “perpetuate the status-quo in a new garb.” He points to the broad sense of hopefulness when Anwar al-Sadat restored political parties in 1978, followed by disappointment over continued limits in the electoral system. Then in 2005, the Muslim Brotherhood’s parliamentary success suggested the coming of a “Cairo Spring” in which elections were more authentic and competitive. “There was a qualitative change in Egypt’s political atmosphere,” writes Amrani, defined by increased media freedom, citizen activism, and the growth of labor movements. The period was short-lived, however, and the subsequent crackdown, in Amrani’s view, demonstrated that “the Cairo spring is giving way to the Cairo autumn.”
Amrani cites several incidents in recent weeks that indicate an apparent tightening of the noose around Egyptian civil society. Al Dostour editor Ibrahim Eissa, for example, was fired yesterday. In a statement released Tuesday, Freedom House called the incident “the latest evidence that Egyptian authorities have ramped up attempts to silence critics in the lead up to the parliamentary elections.” In an interview with Foreign Policy, Eissa said: “I will continue to be a part of the opposition and will continue to criticize the government.”
Posted in Civil Society, Egypt, Freedom, Journalism, Political Parties, Reform | Comment »
Egypt: Al-Dostour Editor Ibrahim Eissa Fired
October 5th, 2010 by Evan
Ibrahim Eissa, outspoken editor of the independent newspaper
Al-Dostour, has been
fired by its publisher after he made the decision to print a
controversial article (Arabic) by democracy advocate
Mohamed ElBaradei. Al-Dostour was recently purchased by a group of businessmen including Wafd party head
El-Sayed El-Badawy and commentators have
suggested (Arabic) that Eissa’s dismissal was an attempt by El-Badawy to curry favor with the ruling National Democracy Party. Reporters from Al-Dostour protested his firing on the newspaper’s
website and on
Facebook (Arabic).
Posted in Egypt, Journalism, Political Parties | Comment »
Iran: Battling for Hearts and Minds Through Media
October 5th, 2010 by Jason
In a new article in the Foreign Service Journal, Robert McMahon explores the ongoing efforts of American broadcasters to reach Iranians, even as the regime expands pressure on independent media. Voice of America’s Persian News Network satellite TV station and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Radio Farda–two broadcasters funded by Congress–have been expanding their reach into social media. “The regime denounces these media efforts as a ’soft war’ waged by outside forces and has responded by mounting one of the world’s most intense censorship efforts: jamming broadcasts, blocking Web sites and infiltrating Facebook accounts,” McMahon writes. The on going diplomatic standoff between Iran and the US makes the efforts of these broadcasters even more important according to McMahon.
While the utilization of social media is a key to connecting with the young people in a country where there are “tens of thousands” of active blogs, McMahon adds that new challenges are developing in that area: “Larry Diamond, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, writes in the July edition of the Journal of Democracy of a growing competition worldwide between democrats and autocrats over mastery of what has been called ‘liberation technology.’” The Iranian government has adapted by setting up pro-regime blogs and disrupting websites that they feel challenge their authority, including the websites of two prominent clerics. .
VOA and RFE/RL also face challenges from policy makers in the US who are skeptical about their effectiveness, McMahon adds. The broadcasters, however, are constantly adapting to new technologies to amplify their message to the Iranian people. McMahon ends the article by providing several recommendations: “Keep a close eye on internal developments in Iran and in the region, and vet reports to keep news stories accurate, not inflammatory, […] (s)ustain efforts to overcome jamming of core radio and TV services,” and “(p)ursue a vigorous effort to gather more and better data about how Iranians are accessing information.”
Posted in Civil Society, Freedom, Iran, Journalism, Middle Eastern Media, Technology, US foreign policy, US media | Comment »
Syria: Charges Brought Against Teen Blogger
October 4th, 2010 by Evan
The AP
reports that Syrian officials have charged 19-year-old blogger
Tal al-Mallohi with espionage. Al-Mallohi, whose blog contained poetry and social commentary, was originally detained by Syrian security services last December. She was held incommunicado until September when her family was permitted to visit her for the first time. Human Rights Watch recently
issued a statement criticizing al-Mallohi’s detention and calling for her release. “Detaining a high school student for nine months without charge is typical of the cruel, arbitrary behavior of Syria’s security services. A government that thinks it can get away with trampling the rights of its citizens has lost all connection to its people,” said
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
Posted in Human Rights, Journalism, Syria | Comment »
Morocco: Monarchy Ups Pressure on Independent Media
October 1st, 2010 by Evan
Writing in The Atlantic, Max Fisher describes recent government pressure on independent media outlets in Morocco. Nichane, a popular Arabic-language news magazine with a history of addressing taboo social and political topics, has been forced to close, Fisher reports. The magazine and its publisher Ahmed Benchemsi have been harassed repeatedly by the government in recent years and ultimately succumbed to an advertising boycott led by the Omnium Nord Africain Group—a powerful holding company with close ties to the Moroccan royal family. Benchemsi promised to continue publishing his French-language magazine TelQuel in spite of the advertising boycott.
Posted in Freedom, Journalism, Morocco | 1 Comment »
POMED Notes: “Corruption in Yemen: Screening of ‘Destructive Beast’”
October 1st, 2010 by Evan
On Friday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a viewing and discussion of “Destructive Beast,” a documentary on corruption in Yemen created by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) with funding from the National Endowment for Democracy. Abdulwahab Alkebsi, the Regional Director for Africa and MENA at CIPE, gave a response to the film and Christopher Boucek, an associate in the Carnegie Middle East Program, moderated the discussion.
(To read the full event summary, continue below or click here for the pdf.)
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Journalism, Reform, Yemen | Comment »
Saudi Arabia: HRW Report “Five Years of King Abdullah’s Reforms”
September 28th, 2010 by Jason
Human Rights Watch has released a new report entitled “Looser Rein, Uncertain Gain: A Human Rights Assessment of Five Years of King Abdullah’s Reforms in Saudi Arabia.” The 57-page report looks at four key areas: women’s rights, freedom of expression, judicial fairness, and religious tolerance.
(To read the full summary, continue below.)
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Civil Society, Freedom, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Journalism, Judiciary, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Sectarianism | Comment »
Iran: New Student Protests and Crackdown on Opposition Parties, Newspapers
September 28th, 2010 by Jason
Al-Arabiya reports that a series of clashes between students and Basij militia members have occurred in the northwestern city of Rasht. According to the article, there has been an “unprecedented” level of Basij presence on campuses around Iran, with members of the militia group “… prevent(ing) male students from entering the campus for wearing a short-sleeved shirt as well as female students for not covering their head properly.” This follows reports by Reuters and the BBC that Iran has banned two political parties, the Islamic Iran Participation Front and the Islamic Revolution Mujahideen Organization, and closed two newspapers, Bahar Zanjan and Andishe-ye No. Both parties supported Mir Hossein Mousavi in last year’s elections and were “dissolved” by the judiciary, while the newspapers were banned for “insulting political and religious figures.”
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Journalism, Political Parties | Comment »
Sudan: Media Repression Intensifies
September 24th, 2010 by Anna
Amnesty International writes in a briefing released today that Sudanese authorities – in both the north and the south – have been repressing journalists during the run-up to the country’s January referendum on the secession of southern Sudan. In the briefing, entitled “The Chains Remain: Restrictions on Freedom of Expression,” Amnesty International’s Rania Rajji says: “The whole future of the nation will be at stake so there is the need for the whole of the country to take part in a debate over this…People need to be informed.” Following the April 2010 elections, National Intelligence and Security Services officials made frequent visits to media printing houses to prevent critical articles from being published. In the process, some newspapers were closed down and journalists arrested on politically motivated charges. Although this censorship was technically removed in the beginning of August, a “code of journalistic honor” continues to impose restrictions because newspapers self-censor out of fear of reprisal. Taboo topics for reporters include President Omar al-Bashir and his government, proceedings of the International Criminal Court, public sector strikes and the prosecution of media figures. The result, according to Amnesty, is that it is “nearly impossible” for journalists to write about human rights abuses in the country. As the referendum approaches, Amnesty is also concerned that the press may be discouraged from reporting on pro-unity voices in the south, which is pushing for independence.
Posted in Civil Society, Freedom, Human Rights, Journalism, Sudan | Comment »
Turkey: Concern Grows About Press Suppression
September 22nd, 2010 by Evan
Concern about attempts by the Turkish government to suppress opposition voices in the press is growing
according to
Hurriyet Daily News: “Recent reports by international press organizations such as the International Press Institute and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Representative on Media Freedom have urged the Turkish government to take the necessary steps to secure legal and social rights for journalists. The OSCE also asked for the immediate release of 48 journalists who have been arrested for their journalistic activities.” The article also highlights the case of
Bekir Coskun, a columnist for the Turkish daily
Haberturk and critic of the Erdogan administration, who was recently fired as a result of alleged government pressure.
Posted in Journalism, Turkey | Comment »
Iran: Ahmadinejad’s Visit to the US
September 22nd, 2010 by Jason
The UN General Assembly began this week in New York City and the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, arrived to a flurry of media coverage. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Ahmadinejad stated that the Green Movement “must respect ‘majority rule.’”Writing in the opinion section of the Wall Street Journal, Karim Sadjadpour provides a list of questions he would like to see journalists ask while the Iranian president is in the US. A sample: “One of your closest spiritual advisers, Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, recently said that democracy, freedom and human rights have no place in Islamic theology. Do you agree with Mr. Yazdi?”
Update: Mohamad Bazzi has an interesting take on Ahmadinejad’s visit to the UN: “The audience Mr. Ahmadinejad is trying to reach on Thursday will not be sitting in front of him in New York.” Instead, the Iranian leader is seeking to burnish his credentials as a “pan-Islamic populist leader” in an effort to regain legitimacy lost over that last two years and reverse the growing notion that he is “just another despot.”
Posted in Diplomacy, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Journalism, US foreign policy | Comment »
Bahrain: Internet Breaks Government Information Monopoly
September 22nd, 2010 by Evan
In a new article at
Foreign Policy’s Middle East Channel
Fahd Desmukh, a former Bahraini blogger,
describes how the internet gives many Bahrainis access to information censored by their government: “Online forums became the first stop that opposition activists turned to when issuing public statements or announcing protest rallies. It was on these forums that news about the “Bandargate scandal” was first broken in 2006 — an alleged conspiracy in which the government was accused of trying to rig parliamentary elections. The forums also highlighted cases of sectarian discrimination, police brutality, state corruption, and political naturalization.” The regime has attempted to repress the online discussion by blocking sites and detaining prominent bloggers. Regardless, Desmukh reports, the internet continues to be a valuable tool for the opposition.
Posted in Bahrain, Journalism, Technology | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Egypt at the Tipping Point?”
September 17th, 2010 by Anna
On Friday, David Ottaway gave a talk at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars titled “Egypt at the Tipping Point?” Ottaway – who is a senior scholar at the Wilson Center and the former Bureau Chief for the Washington Post in Cairo – discussed the findings from his recent paper, published in the Wilson Center Middle East Program’s Summer 2010 Occasional Paper Series. The talk was introduced and moderated by Haleh Esfandiari, the director of the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program.
(To read the full event summary, continue below. Or, click here to read the pdf.)
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Events, Freedom, Human Rights, Islamist movements, Journalism, Middle Eastern Media, Military, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political Parties, Protests, Public Opinion, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
Syria: Despite Media Openings, “Red Lines” Remain
September 16th, 2010 by Evan
NPR’s Deborah Amos has a new report on the cautious liberalization of the Syrian press. Through a series of interviews with Syrian radio personalities, magazine editors, and Western experts, Amos describes how privatization has opened more space for debate on previously taboo social issues. “‘Sex education and child abuse, and molestation, anorexia, bulimia and divorce and marital problems’” are all topics Syrian radio host Honey al-Sayed talks about on a regular basis. Politics, however, remains proscribed. According to the journalists Amos interviews, censorship is no longer overt but is nonetheless a powerful force: “‘It’s suicide to walk over the red lines. It’s professional suicide to walk way below it,’” an editor told Amos, adding “‘What’s smart is to walk on that red line and try to push the bar so you raise the red line of what can be said and what can not be said — perhaps slowly, but eventually they are changed.’”
Posted in Journalism, Syria | Comment »
