Full Coverage: Freedom of expression

30.04.2007 International watchdog Reporters Without Borders has condemned threats made by Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, younger brother of the president, against the editor of the Daily Mirror, Champika Liyanaarachchi. The minister also threatened to "exterminate" a journalist on the newspaper, for writing articles about the plight of civilian victims of the war.

30.04.2007 Science writer and development journalist Nalaka Gunawardene who was inspired to take up science writing from a sustainable development perspective after reading Our Common Future commemorates the 20 years of the report in this article Children of Brundtland Coming of Age. He talks about the role of journalists in achieving sustainable development and building a critical consciousness.

19.04.2007 In the wake of Channel 4's rescheduling of a drama about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by British soldiers in case it endangered captured British sailors in Iran, the BBC is accused of a "craven act of censorship" for cancelling the broadcast of a short story - Weddings and Beheadings - while the fate of journalist Alan Johnston, kidnapped in Palestine, remains unknown. Read the story.

18.04.2007 Last Friday, April 13, approximately 50,000 Albanians responded to the Prime Minister’s attacks on the media through a peaceful manifestation in “Skenderbej Square”, thereby marking the largest manifestation ever witnessed in Albania since the rise of the pluralist system. This manifestation was not coordinated by political parties; rather, it was jointly organized by civil society and the media.

18.04.2007 The headquarters of Mizzima News Agency in New Delhi, India, run by exiled Burmese journalists was shut down by the Delhi Police and municipal authorities who claimed that the office was conducting "commercial activities" from a residential area.

16.04.2007 Well known activist Medha Patkar released a report - Dalits & The NCMP - which has been published by Wada Na Todo Abhiyan. The report highlights the status of Dalits in the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) with a focus on livelihood, education and budgetary resources. Read press release by WNTA

16.04.2007 Are Indian newspapers loosing objectivity? Darius Nakhoonwala examines the muted reaction of newspapers to an important statement by the Indian Prime Minister regarding the judiciary. The PM’s comment on the role of the judiciary was apparently not reflected in all the newspapers.

09.04.2007 A UK-based development organisation Womankind Worldwide has released a report - Tackling Violence against Women: A Worldwide Approach – that shares the stories, struggles, and strategies of people in Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Ghana, Peru, India and the UK who have come together to stand up for the rights of women.

04.04.2007 A report by international human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has severely criticised Bangladesh for its poor governance, corruption, nepotism, severe political tension and lack of accountability. The report was released on the country's 36th Independence Day on 26th March 2007.