News & Updates

The latest from Freedom House:

Press Release

“Friends of Syria” Must Step Up Efforts for Change

Feb 22 2012 - 11:15am

Freedom House today calls on all governments that will gather this Friday in Tunis for the “Friends of Syria” meeting to recognize the Syrian National Council as the country’s transitional government and to sever diplomatic relations with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Freedom House also urges Russia to stop all transfers of weapons to Syria.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa
Freedom Alert

Freedom House Alarmed By Arrest of 14 Syrian Activists

Feb 17 2012 - 3:35pm

Freedom House is outraged by the arrest on February 16 of 14 Syrian bloggers, journalists, and activists affiliated with the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM). Among those detained were prominent activist and SCM Director Mazen Darwish and his wife, US-born blogger Razzan Ghazzawi, and journalist Hanadi Zahlout.

Issues: 
Human Rights, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa
Press Release

La sentencia contra el periódico El Universo es un retroceso para la libertad de prensa

Feb 17 2012 - 2:32pm

Freedom House condena enérgicamente la decisión de la Corte Nacional de Justicia de Ecuador de ratificar la sentencia contra El Universo presentada por el Presidente Rafael Correa. El día 15 de febrero, la Corte Nacional en Quito rechazó la apelación de El Universo, ratificando la sentencia de tres años de prisión para los tres ejecutivos del periódico y el pago de $40 millones de dólares de indemnización a favor del Presidente Correa.

Issues: 
Internet Freedom, Media Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Americas
China Media Bulletin

China Media Bulletin: Issue No. 47

Feb 17 2012 - 2:04pm

Freedom House’s weekly update of press freedom and censorship news related to the People’s Republic of China.

HIGHLIGHTS
* Mum press sheds little light on Chongqing party intrigue
* Foreign TV series curtailed, banned from prime time
* Party commissars set up shop inside microblog firms
* Chinese American online activist abducted, beaten in China
* China-based Nortel hacking, digital thievery risks reported

Issues: 
Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Asia-Pacific
Freedom Alert

Sen. Shaheen Calls for Justice for Human Rights Abuses in Russia

Feb 17 2012 - 10:58am

Freedom House commends Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Ben Cardin, Roger Wicker, and 28 additional Senate cosponsors for their leadership in seeking respect for human rights in Russia by calling for the passage of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Central and Eastern Europe/Eurasia
Press Release

Ruling Against Ecuadorean Newspaper El Universo a Step Backwards for Press Freedom

Feb 16 2012 - 5:50pm

Freedom House strongly condemns Ecuadorean Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the sentence against newspaper El Universo brought by President Rafael Correa. Yesterday, Quito’s high court rejected the appeal filed by the newspaper and upheld the prison sentence of three years against three executives, and a fine for $40 million for libel against President Correa. 
Read the press release in Spanish here.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Americas
Freedom Alert

Three Tunisian Journalists Arrested for Publishing Photo

Feb 16 2012 - 5:37pm

Freedom House is deeply concerned by the arrest on February 15 of three Tunisian journalists working for daily newspaper Attounisia, after publishing a front-page photo portraying ‘near-nudity,’ and calls for their immediate release.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa
In the News

From Bad to Worse in Egypt

Feb 16 2012 - 4:38pm

The Wall Street Journal
February 17, 2012
by Daniel Calingaert
The repression of civil society is far worse than anything seen under Hosni Mubarak. Read the op-ed here.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Democratic Governance, Human Rights, Rule of Law, U.S. Foreign Policy
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa
Testimonies

“Egypt at a Crossroads”: David J. Kramer testifies before House Foreign Affairs Committee

Feb 16 2012 - 10:35am

Freedom House President David Kramer called for Congressional support for Egyptian civil society in testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The crackdown on civil society, he argued, represents a clear effort to block a democratic transition in Egypt.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights, Rule of Law, U.S. Foreign Policy
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa
In the News

Los derechos humanos en Egipto

Feb 15 2012 - 6:28pm

Las organizaciones para la defensa de derechos humanos encuentran dificultades para realizar su trabajo en Egipto, ante las limitaciones impuestas por la Junta Militar.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Human Rights, U.S. Foreign Policy
Regions: 
Middle East and North Africa

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