Banned Sites: Jordan’s New Legislation Takes Effect
M. LYNX-QUALEY: As of June 2nd a published list of news websites have been formally banned in Jordan. What next?
Israel Falls to 112th in Press Freedom Index
RICHARD SILVERSTEIN: Israel has fallen 20 places in the Press Freedom Index. It now ranks below both Qatar and Kuwait. But is its ranking low enough?
‘Speaker’s Corner in the Gulf?’: No Chance!
STEVE ROYSTON: The ‘Red Lines’ exist and any expatriate who’s spent more than a couple of years living in the Gulf knows what they are.
On Press Freedom: Jordan’s ‘Misalignment’
Any Arab country serious about supporting a free and independent press must first revise its laws to give journalists the freedom to report news without fear…
The UAE’s ‘Blue Pencil’: A Much Lighter Touch
ALEXANDER MC NABB: My recent experience of being, ah, ‘moderated’ is a far cry from my experiences over the past 25 years
Egyptian Artists vs Government: Is Conflict Inevitable?
ASMAA NAGUIB, ARABLIT: Many prominent Egyptian artists met recently to discuss how best to regulate the relationship between the Culture Ministry and themselves.
Jordan’s Internet U-Turn: Where’s the Vision Now?
NASEEM TARAWNAH: Once upon a time, the Jordanian government thought censoring the Internet was a bad thing, arguing the best regulators were users themselves.
Egypt ‘Tests the Waters’ With Lift on ‘Soccer Fan Ban’
JAMES M. DORSEY: The Egyptian authorities are moving tentatively to check how radicalised football fans will react to the lifting of a ban on their attendance at matches.
New Regulation: Goodbye Free Speech in Jordan
NASEEM TARAWNAH: Internet censorship is coming soon to Jordan and coming in a big way. What can any of us do?
Oman and Censorship: The Line You Can’t Define
ALEXANDER MCNABB: The rule in this issue is that the freedom of individuals stops when the freedom of other individuals starts. But where is that dividing line?
‘Mischief Afoot’: Regulation of Saudi Journalists Is ‘Wrong’
CROSSROADS ARABIA: How can civil servants judge whether a journalists is being ‘professional’? The simple answer is they can’t
Tunisian Writers Launch Campaign Against Censors
M. LYNX-QUALEY: Censorship is developing many tentacles in Tunisia today but writers are refusing to take attacks lying down
Banned: A Day In The Life of a Kuwaiti Censor
M. LYNX-QUALEY: Kuwait always features highly in lists of press freedom in the Arab world but it keeps a tight rein on literature
Kashghari and Diminishing Free Speech
CROSSROADS ARABIA: The case of Hamza Kashghari, the Saudi journalist that expressed doubts about religion, is energizing free-speech advocates
Press Freedom Sickly in Israel and Turkey
RICHARD SILVERSTEIN: Is Israel a haven for the free press? Hardly. It allows extensive use of gag orders to protect the state, the military, and the wealthy.
Twitter Makes a Good Call: No Boycott Needed
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Twitter’s new censorship policy has turned up a hornet’s nest of ire throughout the social media world. But have they done the right thing?
Egyptian Blogger Jailed: What Sort of Democracy is This?
LUCY EMMERSON: The case of Maikel Nabil, and that of many other writers, highlights the utter lack of respect for freedom of expression that currently exists in Egypt.
No Oxymoron: Having Both Effective Defamation Laws and a Healthy Media
MATT J. DUFFY: Private parties should be allowed to settle differences via civil courts and truth should be set as the ultimate defence against defamation.
Libya Hosts Book ‘Un-Banning Ceremony’
M. LYNX-QUALEY: Who knows – it could set the template for a wave of such events. Libya’s ‘Book Un-Banning Ceremony’ is worth celebrating.
Firebombed Newspaper Charlie Hebdo a Victim of its Own Making
ROB L. WAGNER: Charlie Hebdo’s editors abuse the privilege of being journalists. Their behavior strengthens the argument anti blasphemy laws are necessary
