Media Tracker lists the challenges and achievements of the journalists and media organisations worldwide. Here’s a list of journalism at risk stories in the recent month. We would like to thank international media protection organisation and news outlets for their content.
- A Saudi blogger and women’s rights activist, Eman al Nafjan ,with a blog Saudiwoman was released provisionally. The courts, however, have not absolved her of the charges of, “suspicious contacts with foreign entities.” Eman was held in March 2018 and will continue to pursue her case.
(RSF)
- Investigative journalist and author Roberto Saviano was booked for criminal defamation by Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini. If proven guilty, Saviano can be punished with a fine or face a prison sentence up to six years. Saviano allegedly got into hot waters with Salvini over his critical opeds in La Republica and the tweets where he called the interior minister, “minister of the underworld.”
(CPJ)
- Thai’s went to polls last week. However, the world watched as the media self-censored and there was no critical information out of the country due to the immense pressure. The cyber laws made it difficult for news to get through. A TV station faced suspension for several days and a senior anchor was removed without any reasons.
(IFEX)
- Worrying trends surface on the media horizon in Afghanistan as an annual report by the Afghanistan Journalist Center detailed the plight of media practitioners in the country. Of the 92 acts of violence against journalists, 20 ended dead. 70 per cent of the responsibility was owned by Daesh (IS). The second most threat to journalism in the country came from the government security forces. Afghan journalists are concerned that 95 per cent of the culprits have not be charged at all. They have demanded the government to amend media laws and instate speedy courts to deal with all such cases pertaining to threats to the media and journalists.
(IFEX)
