Tag: freedom of expression
Controversial ‘Confucius’ doco gets mixed response at NZ universities
In The Name Of Confucius trailer for the 52-minute documentary.
A Chinese government-sponsored cultural and education programme offers Mandarin lessons around the world. But a...
PNG Facebook ban threat casts shadow over Pacific media freedom
Papua New Guinea threatened to temporarily ban Facebook earlier this year. With the APEC conference looming in November, the question remains whether this was...
Vanuatu plans cyber crime law to target Facebook ‘false claims’
Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, the Minister responsible for Telecommunications, has informed Parliament that a cyber crime bill currently being developed will address the...
Pacific news journalists grapple with challenges of social media, harsh laws
BRIEFING: By Geraldine Panapasa in Suva
Like it or not, social media has become part and parcel of almost everyday discussions.
Whether it’s talk about the...
Rappler’s editor Maria Ressa wins global press freedom award
Golden Pen winner Maria Ressa talks about "government impunity" over "war on drugs" killings and social media hate speech. Video: Rappler
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk
Rappler...
Juffa accuses O’Neill government of ‘shutting down’ free speech in PNG
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk
Oro Governor Garry Juffa says the people of PNG find it "frightening" and "alarming" that the Papua New Guinea government is...
Keith Jackson: Did dumb just get dumber and Sam Basil dig...
A near confrontation on the floor of Parliament on Friday, with the Papua New Guinea Opposition walking out in protest over the referral of...
PNG students in China say Facebook move is ‘irrelevant’ and damaging
By Melisha Yafoi in Beijing
Students studying in Beijing, China, have described the move by Papua New Guinea's Communications Minister Sam Basil to suspend Facebook...
Justice Rajasinghe to deliver Fiji Times sedition trial verdict on Tuesday
By Litia Cava in Suva
High Court judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe is set to deliver his verdict on Tuesday after the three assessors returned with...
Fiji Times sedition trial assessors give unanimous ‘not guilty’ opinion
By Talebula Kate in Suva
The three assessors in The Fiji Times sedition trial tonight returned a unanimous not guilty opinion on all counts.
They found...
Journalists’ free alliance advocate calls on minister to use UN ‘leverage’
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk
The Australian journalist and academic who spent more than a year in an Egyptian prison has welcomed Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's...
PMC director condemns ‘targeting’ of journalists and silence on West Papua
By Jean Bell in Auckland
An alarming number of "targeted" journalists being killed and West Papua media for independence were just some of the topics...
How Philippine state surveillance is used as a tool to silence...
BRIEFING: Special report by Jodesz Gavilan and Sofia Tomacruz in Manila
Human rights activists say that the conduct of both physical and communication surveillance is...
Protests sweep Indonesia over new law criminalising ‘criticism’ of MPs
By Ryan Dagur in Jakarta
A wave of protests has swept Indonesia in recent days after legislation criminalising criticism of lawmakers took effect last week.
President...
Marites Vitug: Duterte’s dangerously zero idea of independent journalism
ANALYSIS: By Marites Dañguilan Vitug in Manila
A year ago, the White House barred some members of the press from attending an informal briefing, a...
Philippine bishops call for vigilance amid ‘creeping dictatorship’
By Paterno Esmaquel II in Manila
Bishops have called for vigilance in the face of a "creeping dictatorship," as the Philippines marked the 32nd anniversary...
Vanuatu Daily Post: A call to action for endangered Pacific media...
EDITORIAL OPINION: Dan McGarry and Marc Neil-Jones of the Vanuatu Daily Post call for media associations and professionals throughout the Pacific to act to...
RSF condemns new gagging threats to outspoken Philippine media outlets
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk
Kodao Productions, a Philippine alternative news website, is still down after being the target of a cyber-attack six days ago and...
New bill would make Australia worst in free world for criminalising...
ANALYSIS: By Dr Johan Lidberg in Melbourne
Australia is a world leader in passing the most amendments to existing and new anti-terror and security laws...
Duterte vs Rappler: Declaration of war against Philippine media?
On The Listening Post this week: Rappler battles with authorities plus climate sceptics and the media platforms they get. Video: Al Jazeera
As Rappler, a...
UN critics join global outrage over Duterte’s Rappler ‘free press’ attack
Rappler’s CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa says that the Philippine government spends a lot of effort to turn journalism into a crime which...
Indonesian court convicts mining protester over ‘communist’ symbol
By Yovinus Guntur in Banyuwangi, Indonesia
An Indonesian court has convicted and sentenced an environmentalist to 10 months in prison on a charge of spreading...