Latest Censorship News

Azerbaijan accused of ramping up repression of critics ahead of hosting UN climate summit

Nov. 12, 2024 02:35 AM EST

As representatives from nearly 200 countries, along with hundreds of journalists, arrived in Azerbaijan in November for the U.N. climate conference known this year as COP29, they bring with them a level of scrutiny the hosts aren't accustomed to — and don't often tolerate. ...

Algeria opens book fair opens without winner of top French language literary prize

Nov. 06, 2024 05:52 AM EST

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — As one of the Arab world’s largest book fairs opens in Algeria on Wednesday, there is one conspicuous absence. French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud, who won France’s most prestigious literary award earlier this week, was not invited to this year’s event. ...

Trial opens in France in the beheading of a teacher over prophet cartoons

Nov. 04, 2024 07:44 AM EST

PARIS (AP) — The trial of eight people in Paris on terrorism charges started on Monday over the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, who was killed by an Islamic extremist after showing caricatures of Islam's prophet to his middle school students for a lesson on freedom of expression. ...

Algeria pardons and releases journalist who became a key voice during 2019 pro-democracy protests

Nov. 01, 2024 12:32 PM EDT

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria has pardoned a journalist who emerged as a key voice during the country’s 2019 pro-democracy protests and was later imprisoned for taking foreign funding for his media outlets and threatening state security. Ihsane El Kadi was released from prison...

Longtime PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel is stepping down to head Freedom House

Oct. 31, 2024 18:57 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — The CEO of PEN America, Suzanne Nossel, is stepping down after more than a decade marked by substantial growth and recent controversy, In January, she will be heading the pro-democracy Freedom House. “I am tremendously honored to lead an organization with Freedom...

Tunisian commentator sentenced to two years under controversial anti-fake news law

Oct. 25, 2024 13:15 PM EDT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — A well-known Tunisian attorney and commentator was sentenced to two years in prison over remarks she made about the North African country and its treatment of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Sonia Dahmani was found guilty on Thursday of violating a statute...

Richard N. Winfield, First Amendment lawyer and former AP counsel, dies at 91

Oct. 22, 2024 16:20 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Richard N. Winfield, a leading U.S. First Amendment lawyer who represented The Associated Press for three decades and championed freedom of expression for journalists around the world, died on Tuesday. He was 91. Winfield died in his sleep at Bellevue Hospital in...

Musk offers voters $1 million a day to sign PAC petition backing the Constitution. Is that legal?

Oct. 20, 2024 18:10 PM EDT

Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla and Space X and owner of X who's gone all-in on Republican Donald Trump's candidacy for the White House, has already committed at least $70 million to help the former president. Now he's pledging to give away $1 million a day to voters for signing his...

Freedom of expression threatened more seriously in Gaza than in any recent conflict, UN expert says

Oct. 19, 2024 01:46 AM EDT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Freedom of expression has been threatened more seriously in Gaza than in any recent conflict, with journalists targeted in the war-torn territory and Palestinian supporters targeted in many countries, a United Nations expert said Friday. Irene Khan, the U.N....

Jury paves the way for 2 Live Crew to retake control of records that changed hip-hop

Oct. 18, 2024 18:57 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Miami's 2 Live Crew helped redraw the legal landscape around what hip-hop could be, pushing the boundaries of free speech and taste with their provocative and sexually explicit recordings that led to landmark court decisions protecting the rights of artists. ...