The prosecutor in the case of murdered Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink has demanded that the confessed killer received between 18 and 27 years in prison for the crime.

Dink was viewed by ultra-nationalists as a traitor, an enemy of Turks and a despicable Armenian due to the defamatory campaign launched against him, read the legal statement issued by Prosecutor Ali Demir.

Demir presented his legal opinion Friday based on case investigations pertaining to Dink at the trial of Ogün Samast, who is being tried at juvenile court on charges of premeditated murder and carrying an unlicensed firearm.

Dink was targeted as an enemy of Turks because of the articles he wrote, the legal opinion said, according to Anatolia news agency.

Demir’s statement argued that Samast committed the murder with premeditation and in cold blood. Samast did, however, show repentance in the time since the killing, according to Demir.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News

Read More »Dink’s killer faces 27 years in prison

Iran and Cuba top the list of repressive governments that have forced 67 journalists into exile in the past 12 months, the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists said in a survey released Monday.

Iran and Cuba each sent 18 journalists, some accompanied by families, into exile.

CPJ released the report to mark World Refugee Day, which is held each year on June 20.

None of the 67 exiled journalists in the last 12 months have been able to return home, CPJ said. Twenty-two are from countries in the Middle East and North Africa, 19 from the Americas, 19 from Africa, six from Asia, and one from Central Asia.

Source: Trend.az

Read More »Iran is one of the lead countries forcing journalists into exile

An American journalist and British human rights activist were reportedly attacked and beaten in Baku late on June 15, RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service reports.

Reports say four athletic young men followed journalist Amanda Erickson and activist Celia Davies Carys as they were walking to their apartments and then attacked them near the National Drama Theater.

Carys reportedly has a broken arm from the assault.

The U.S. Embassy in Baku said today it is aware of the crime and embassy personnel are providing assistance to the victims. It said questions about the investigation should be addressed to Azerbaijani police.

Orkhan Mansurzadeh of the Azerbaijani Interior Ministry told RFE/RL that the issue needs to be investigated.

Erickson and Carys have been conducting training for local journalists and civil society activists in Baku.

Source: RFE/RL

Read More »U.S. Journalist, British Activist Assaulted In Azerbaijan

Following the June 10 order issued by the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) all of the cable companies operating in Georgia, whose number tops 90, have been demanded to quit the rebroadcasting of Russian channels such as „НТВ+ премьера”, „НТВ+ кино клуб” and „НТВ+ кино хит.”

According to the same order providers shall submit to GNCC the notarized copies of the documents certifying the right to conduct broadcasting on the territory of Georgia.

The order was based on the statement by Super TV cable company. The latter is accusing its competitors of the illegal transit of the aforementioned Russian channels. The complainant company itself, which entered the Tbilisi cable broadcasting market in January 2011, is offering users up to 40 channels with the exclusion of NTV package due to no right to do so.

The Silknet communications company whose interactive television SILK TV enjoys 14,000 subscribers has already replaced NTV channels with Video on Demand. The novelty was introduced to the public by Ramaz Kukuladze, Deputy Director General speaking at the June 15 press conference. Video on Demand includes up to 400 Georgian and foreign movies. And every Friday five new entries will be added to the collection.

Read More »No more NTV+ in Georgia

The sister of prominent Iranian journalist and rights activist Reza Hoda Saber has confirmed her jailed brother’s death following a 10-day hunger strike, according to RFE/RL’s Radio Farda.

Saber had been transferred to a hospital from Tehran’s Evin prison, where he had been held since being imprisoned along with hundreds of other activists and intellectuals in the wake of Iran’s disputed June 2009 election.

His sister, Firouzeh Saber, told Radio Farda that the family believes authorities waited several hours after Saber complained of chest pains to hospitalize him.

From jail, Saber had launched his hunger strike on June 2 to protest the treatment of another jailed rights advocate, Haleh Sahabi, who died after what eyewitnesses described as a scuffle at the June 1 funeral of her father, himself a regime opponent who had served time in Iranian jails.

“There are three issues here,” Firouzeh Saber told Radio Farda hours after his death. “First of all, why was he in prison? He had been in prison without having been sentenced. Second, why did a tragedy such as Sahabi’s death happen, leading Saber to go on hunger strike? And third, why were authorities so careless that it took them several hours to take him to the hospital after he complained of chest pains.”

Read More »Jailed Iran Activist Dies After Hunger Strike

The sister of prominent Iranian journalist and rights activist Reza Hoda Saber has confirmed her jailed brother’s death following a 10-day hunger strike, according to RFE/RL’s Radio Farda.

Saber had been transferred to a hospital from Tehran’s Evin prison, where he had been held since being imprisoned along with hundreds of other activists and intellectuals in the wake of Iran’s disputed June 2009 election.

His sister, Firouzeh Saber, told Radio Farda that the family believes authorities waited several hours after Saber complained of chest pains to hospitalize him.

From jail, Saber had launched his hunger strike on June 2 to protest the treatment of another jailed rights advocate, Haleh Sahabi, who died after what eyewitnesses described as a scuffle at the June 1 funeral of her father, himself a regime opponent who had served time in Iranian jails.

“There are three issues here,” Firouzeh Saber told Radio Farda hours after his death. “First of all, why was he in prison? He had been in prison without having been sentenced. Second, why did a tragedy such as Sahabi’s death happen, leading Saber to go on hunger strike? And third, why were authorities so careless that it took them several hours to take him to the hospital after he complained of chest pains.”

Read More »Jailed Iran Activist Dies After Hunger Strike

On Monday, June 13 majority of Georgian newspapers printed large “Solidarity to MediaPalitra!” on the front page. Through this action, initiated by Media Advocacy Coalition, the newspapers responded to the audit inspection being underway in MediaPalitra. Both Tbilisi-based and regional newspapers, as well as the Liberal and Rating magazines took part in the solidarity rally.

In its Monday edition the Georgian Weekly Kviris Palitra belonging to the MediaPalitra group of companies dedicated its front page to the Thank You for Solidarity line to show its gratitude to the rally participants.

On June 10 Media Advocacy Coalition released a statement showing its concern about concurrent stock-taking being on at four enterprises within the holding and the financial audit to be carried out in six enterprises which ultimately resulted into the delay with the publication of MediaPalitra newspapers and magazines.

The Coalition thinks the Revenue Service’s audit may be connected to Palitra’s critical news coverage of the May 26 violent police crack-down on protestors in Rustaveli Avenue.

According to the statement by the Revenue Service planned inventory, which is “a short-term and simple process” is underway in Media Pulitra. The scheduled material-commodity inventory in 3 enterprises of MediaPalitra has already completed.

Read More »Georgian Newspapers Support MediaPalitra

Turkey’s state-run news agency says police have detained 32 suspected computer hackers, allegedly linked to an international activist group that targeted a government website to protest Turkey’s plans to introduce Internet filters.

The Anatolia news agency said Sunday the suspects were nabbed in raids in a dozen cities for suspected ties to the group “Anonymous.”

The group this week targeted websites of the country’s telecommunications watchdog, the prime minister’s office and parliament. The telecommunications watchdog said it was prepared for the group and disruption was minimal.

The suspects face questioning and possible charges.

On Friday, Spain arrested three alleged “Anonymous” members suspected of attacking worldwide corporate and government websites.

Source: ABCNews

Read More »Turkey Detains 32 Suspected Hackers

On June 13, the office of the Open Society Georgia will host the presentation of the manual drawn up by the Georgian Association of Regional Broadcasters (GARB), as well as the Association’s website and ongoing projects.

The manual titled New Media for Old Media is made up of theoretical part and hands-on (video) lessons.

The manual worked out by the team employed at the GARB Tbilisi office is targeted at Georgian regional TV companies but the manual can be of help to other media workers as well as beginner reporters and students.

The manual was designed within the framework of the joint Media Support Program implemented by WAN-IFRA, IREX Europe, Georgian Regional Media Association (GRMA) and Civic Development Institute.

Source: Media.ge

Read More »New Media for Old Media: New Manual For Journalists

On June 13, the office of the Open Society Georgia will host the presentation of the manual drawn up by the Georgian Association of Regional Broadcasters (GARB), as well as the Association’s website and ongoing projects.

The manual titled New Media for Old Media is made up of theoretical part and hands-on (video) lessons.

The manual worked out by the team employed at the GARB Tbilisi office is targeted at Georgian regional TV companies but the manual can be of help to other media workers as well as beginner reporters and students.

The manual was designed within the framework of the joint Media Support Program implemented by WAN-IFRA, IREX Europe, Georgian Regional Media Association (GRMA) and Civic Development Institute.

Source: Media.ge

Read More »New Media for Old Media: New Manual For Journalists