Talkin' Turkey: PM Threatens Times of London with Legal Action

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A month after branding Twitter  a "provocateur" (see "TUOL" post 6/26/13), Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has the Times of London in his sites, threatening the daily with legal action over a full-page political ad criticizing him for his "dictatorial rule," Al-Jazeera reported today.

Hollywood's Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn are among the signatories in the ad that objects to the PM's handling of anti-government demonstrations and blames Erdogan for the deaths of five protesters. Demonstrators, whom the PM has condemned as "terrorists" and "looters," are demanding his ouster.

"We will pursue legal channels regarding the Times," Erdogan is quoted as saying in the Al-Jazeera. It's puzzling to "TUOL" what Erdogan believes is being 'broadcast' on such legal channels that would give rise to an actionable claim against the daily for running a paid advertisement.

CPJ Takes Gambia to Task for Oppressive Media Law Reform

The Parliament of the West African Republic of Gambia has enacted measures in recent months that endange its citizens' freedom of speech and restrict press freedom, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

On the same day earlier this month that the U.S. celebrated its birthday, the Gambian Parliament revised the 2009 Information and Communication Act, increasing penalties for individuals who use the Internet to spread false information or instigate violence against or criticism of public officials to a 15-year jail term and a fine of  three million Dalasis ($82,207), according to the CPJ.  Gambian Information Minister Nana Grey Johnson said the measure was enacted to thwart "unpatriotic behavior" against government officials.

Back in April, the Parliament revised the Criminal Code to characterize President Yahya Jammeh and National Assembly members, among other government officials, as "public servants," although the nation's Constitution does not recognize those positions as "public servants." The amendment was accompanied by a boost in the fines and jail time assessed against individuals who provide false information to public servants.

That same month, Gambia banned the use at Internet cafes of Skype and other VoIP platforms, citing the "national interest." CPJ accused Gambian leaders of trying to shield themselves at the expense of providing citizens access to modern communications.

                                                                   

Kuwait, Kuwait, Don't Tell Me: Journos Facing New Media Law

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The Kuwaiti National Assembly will vote on a proposed media law already approved by the Cabinet of the Arabian Peninsula nation today.

KUNA (Kuwait News Agency) reported that the proposed measure largely eliminates jail time for offending journalists (unless they denigrate Allah) and instead, imposes fines. Sheikh Salman, the constitutional emirate's Minister of Information, said: "The bill will regulate work of all press and media outlets, and it aims to strengthen press and media freedoms."

Media & Human Rights Groups Voice Concern Over Kazakh's Repressive New Media Law

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe National Assn. of Kazakh Broadcasters and human rights group Adil Soz are among those highly critical of a restrictive media law awaiting Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's signature following Senate passage this week of the measure introduced by the Communications & Information Ministry, according to a report by Radio Free Europe/Liberty Radio's ["RFELR"] Web site.

The draft broadcast law mandates foreign tv and radio outlets to register with an official Kazakh entity and sets 2018 as the date by which half of foreign broadcasts must concern domestic content. The increased state control over electronic news media that the new law would entail prompted a letter of protest to President Nazarbaev signed by more than 40 Kazakh media NGOs, the RFELR article reported.

Algeria Urged to Relax Press Controls

Image via WikipediaThe Jurist Website (htttp://jurist.law.pitt.edu) reports that Frank LaRue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, has challenged Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to make good on his declared initiative for constitutional and political reforms by taking the government's thumb off of the nation's news media.

Among the changes LaRue wants to see  are the decriminalization of defamation, the removal of government control over Algeria's television and radio stations, and restructuring current laws so that the right to peaceful assembly would be encouraged, rather than oppressed.  Algeria has been under a state of emergency since 1992, when the military halted elections to prevent religious fundamentalists from assuming power.

Iceland Goal: 'Fantasy Island' for Journalists?

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Agence France Presse reports that Iceland's parliament in June unanimously approved the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative ("IMMI")[http://www.immi.is], a freedom of information bill that the European island nation envisions will create the world's strongest shield to protect journalists and whistleblowers.


WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is one of IMMI's biggest boosters. Iceland parliament member Birgitta Jonsdottir hopes the IMMI protection afforded investigative reporters and their confidential sources will turn Iceland into a "transparency haven" that will attract journalists to Iceland, much as countries that are tax havens draw wealthy citizens.  Jonsdottir, a self-proclaimed "anarchist" (though "TUOL" bets a krona she observes state holidays), said IMMI is a response in part to previous censorship in August 2009, when public broadcaster RUV was enjoined from airing a report on one of Iceland's largest banks that went bust a year later, helping to push the country to the brink of bankruptcy.

IMMI is expected to take effect in about a year and a half, as its enactment requires changing about 13 laws currently in force.  "TUOL" doubts that journalists will be lured to the North Atlantic Ocean kingdom, particularly if it will require them to learn how to spell Reykjavik, Raykjovic, Rakervic, never mind.

President Obama to Sign Press Freedom/ Human Rights Act

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According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service, President Barack Obama today will sign into law the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act.

The measure requires the State Dept. to flag nations that abuse press freedom, evaluate whether these countries facilitate or condone press violations and report on how nations preserve an independent media and whether those who attack or kill journalists are prosecuted by the government. The law is named after Daniel Pearl, a Wall St. Journal reporter who was captured in Pakistan and decapitated in 2002 by radical Islamists.