From al-Jazeera.net:

Turkish legislators are debating a proposal to soften a law restricting freedom of speech that has been used to prosecute several writers.
 
A vote on the proposed amendment to Article 301 of Turkey's penal code, which bars insults to the Turkish identity or the country's institutions, is expected on Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The ruling party, which proposed the change, has a majority in the 550-seat parliament and the amendment is expected to pass.

Turkey says close to 7,000 people have been prosecuted under that law and its precursor since 2003, including Orhan Pamuk, the Nobel prize winner.
 
A total of 745 were convicted in that period.

Read to the end of this story excerpt.

From the April 28 Moscow Times:

The State Duma passed in a first reading Friday a bill that would allow courts to close media outlets for publishing libelous statements, a law critics say would give authorities an additional tool to crack down on dissent.

The bill would add "dissemination of deliberately false information damaging individual honor and dignity" to the list of offenses for which a media outlet can be shut down.

Pop quiz: This bill is not related to what scurrilous recent act of reportage aimed at the personal life of a major Russian political figure?

Tesco Lotus, a subsidiary of multinational retailer Tesco, is suing Kamol Kamoltrakul, a Thai commentator and academic for his attacks on the chain's expansion within Thailand.

Can you say "libel chill"?

From the Globe and Mail:

The Department of National Defence has produced a guide instructing the military how to justify its arguments for censoring records requested by the public and journalists.

On Sunday, a number of co-ordinated attacks were carried out on U.S. and Afghan military outposts in the Korengal Valley of eastern Afghanistan. Hmm. Who do we know that does stuff like that?

First, a pinch of REM ...

And then a dash of That Petrol Emotion ...

Allan Johnston, who spent nearly four months in captivity in the Gaza Strip, is speaking out on what he sees as a dangerous climate for press freedom.

A tale of sorcery, black magic and loss -- either real or imagined -- from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Read on ... if you dare.

From CBC.ca:

Charges have been dropped against an Australian TV comedy troupe who crashed last year's APEC summit posing as Canadians.

Eleven cast and crew from satirical show The Chaser's War on Everything were charged with breaching a security zone in connection with the prank.

The comedy team got close to U.S. President George W. Bush's hotel by flying the Maple Leaf and claiming to be a Canadian motorcade.

They were found out when Chaser team member Chas Licciardello climbed out of a car dressed as Osama bin Laden.