Freedom of expression in the Arab world

Committee to Protect Journalists
An independent organisation based in New York which promotes press freedom worldwide "by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal". See Middle East overview.

Reporters Without Borders
(Reporters Sans Frontières) A French-based organisation. See Middle East section of its website..

International Press Institute
"Dedicated to the furtherance and safeguarding of press freedom, the promotion of the free flow of news and information, and the improvement of the practices of journalism". See Middle East and North Africa section.

Article 19
A human rights organisation "with a specific mandate and focus on the defence and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide". Its name refers to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. See Middle East section of its website.

Index on Censorship
A journal which records abuses of free expression worldwide and has become "one of the world's leading repositories of original, challenging, controversial and intelligent writing on free expression issues".

Human Rights Watch
A general human rights organisation which also addresses freedom of expression issues. See Press Freedom section of its website.

General

Freedom of expression
A compilation of recent articles by the Arab Reform Bulletin.

The public's right to know
Guidelines for freedom of information legislation. (Article 19 organisation)

The Sana'a Declaration, 1996
This is the only international document on freedom for the Arab media. It was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its 29th Session in Paris, in 1997.

Pre-empting the satellite TV revolution
Uneasy about satellite television coverage of civil strife and economic hardship, Arab governments are trying to reassert control over the medium. Will a new regional agreement halt the satellite revolution? By Joel Campagna, Committee to Protect Journalists.

Dilemmas of a free media for the Arabian Gulf
by S Nihal Singh, Editor, Khaleej Times, Dubai

The press in the Arab world: 100 years of suppressed freedom
Historical background by Said Essoulami

Arab cinema: the struggle to be seen
Notes issued by Channel Four television to accompany a season of Arab films shown on British TV in the late 1980s.

Algeria

Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom news from Algeria

Committee to Protect Journalists: Algeria

Algerian information law
A commentary on the 1998 proposals by Article 19.

Bahrain

Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom news from Bahrain

Committee to Protect Journalists: Bahrain

Comoros

Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom news from Comoros

Committee to Protect Journalists: Comoros

Djibouti

Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom news from Djibouti

Committee to Protect Journalists: Djibouti

Egypt

Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom news from Egypt

Committee to Protect Journalists: Egypt

Egypt: Academic Freedom Under Assault
"The Egyptian government stifles academic freedom in universities by censoring course books, outlawing research about controversial issues and intimidating student activists". (Human Rights Watch, June 9, 2005)

Iraq

Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom news from Iraq

Committee to Protect Journalists: Iraq

Journalists Protection Law (draft, 2009)

Critique of the draft Journalists Protection Law
Article XIX

Jordan

Reporters Without Borders
Press freedom news from Jordan

Committee to Protect Journalists: Jordan

Jordan's press and publications law
A commentary on the 1998 proposals by Article 19.

Freedom of Expression and the Media in Jordan
Resolution of the International Press Institute's seminar, Amman, 5 February 2000

Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists
A Jordanian non-profit organisation

Kuwait