CoveragePost
February 13, 2025
Pacific Media Watch Papua New Guinea’s civic space has been rated as “obstructed” by the Civicus Monitor and the country has been criticised for pushing forward with a controversial media law in spite of strong opposition. Among concerns previously documented by the civil rights watchdog are harassment and threats against human rights defenders, particularly those ... <a title="Civicus Monitor criticises PNG use of cybercrime law to curb free speech" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/02/13/civicus-monitor-criticises-png-use-of-cybercrime-law-to-curb-free-speech/" aria-label="Read more about Civicus Monitor criticises PNG use of cybercrime law to curb free speech">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 3, 2024
Pacific Media Watch The Palau Media Council has condemned a political lawsuit against the publisher of the Island Times as an “assault on press freedom” with the Pacific country facing an election on Tuesday. In a statement yesterday, the council added that the lawsuit, filed by Surangel and Sons Co. against Times publisher Leilani Reklai ... <a title="Palau Media Council condemns lawsuit as ‘assault on press freedom’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/11/03/palau-media-council-condemns-lawsuit-as-assault-on-press-freedom/" aria-label="Read more about Palau Media Council condemns lawsuit as ‘assault on press freedom’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 2, 2024
By Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Palau’s largest newspaper is being sued for defamation by the company of President Surangel Whipps Jr’s father, just days ahead of general elections in the Pacific nation. Surangel and Sons alleges “negligence and defamation” by the Island Times and its editor Leilani Reklai for an article published on Tuesday with ... <a title="Palau newspaper sued by president’s family company ahead of general election" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/11/02/palau-newspaper-sued-by-presidents-family-company-ahead-of-general-election/" aria-label="Read more about Palau newspaper sued by president’s family company ahead of general election">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
October 6, 2023
Asia Pacific Report The state of civic space in Indonesia has been rated as “obstructed” in the latest CIVICUS Monitor report. The civic space watchdog said that ongoing concerns include the arrest, harassment and criminalisation of human rights defenders and journalists as well as physical and digital attacks, the use of defamation laws to silence ... <a title="Crackdown on activists, free expression in Papua as Indonesia eyes UN Human Rights role" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/10/06/crackdown-on-activists-free-expression-in-papua-as-indonesia-eyes-un-human-rights-role/" aria-label="Read more about Crackdown on activists, free expression in Papua as Indonesia eyes UN Human Rights role">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 14, 2023
Asia Pacific Report A defendant in an Indonesian case of alleged defamation, Fatia Maulidiyanti, has hit back at a statement by Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan who said in his testimony that he wanted to audit all non-government organisations (NGOs) in the country. Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz
CoveragePost
December 12, 2021
Pacific Media Watch Despite its champions being honoured with a Nobel Peace Prize, press freedom has a “sword of Damocles” hanging over it, warn this year’s two laureates. Maria Ressa of the Philippines, co-founder of the news website Rappler, and Dmitry Muratov of Russia, editor of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, will receive their prize ... <a title="Nobel Peace laureates slam ‘Damocles’ sword’ threat to press freedom" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/12/12/nobel-peace-laureates-slam-damocles-sword-threat-to-press-freedom/" aria-label="Read more about Nobel Peace laureates slam ‘Damocles’ sword’ threat to press freedom">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 5, 2021
By Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi in Apia Veteran Samoan parliamentarian and chairman of the Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) has criticised what he characterises as the “extreme” and “defamatory” behaviour of the former Prime Minister of Samoa since losing government. Speaking during his programme Ia Ao Samoa yesterday, La’auli Leuatea Schmidt said he ... <a title="La’auli condemns Tuila’epa’s ‘extreme behavour’ in losing office in Samoa" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/05/laauli-condemns-tuilaepas-extreme-behavour-in-losing-office-in-samoa/" aria-label="Read more about La’auli condemns Tuila’epa’s ‘extreme behavour’ in losing office in Samoa">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 21, 2020
By Trevor Wahune in Port Moresby North Fly MP James Donald yesterday made an appearance in Papua New Guinea’s Waigani Committal Court to face cyber crime charges for allegedly publishing defamatory materials against a lawyer and the management team of OK Tedi River Development Foundation. Magistrate Garry Unjo, reading the MP’s charges, said Donald, from ... <a title="PNG parliamentarian faces cyber crime charges over K250m Ok Tedi claim" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/08/21/png-parliamentarian-faces-cyber-crime-charges-over-k250m-ok-tedi-claim/" aria-label="Read more about PNG parliamentarian faces cyber crime charges over K250m Ok Tedi claim">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 3, 2020
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk Timor-Leste’s Journalist Association (AJTL) and journalism students marched through the streets of the capital Dili today calling on the government to scrap plans to change the law to make defamation a criminal offence. Under the proposed law journalists could face jail sentences. Opponents of the proposed law say it is an ... <a title="Timorese journalists protest over plan to turn defamation into crime" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/08/03/timorese-journalists-protest-over-plan-to-turn-defamation-into-crime/" aria-label="Read more about Timorese journalists protest over plan to turn defamation into crime">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 27, 2020
By Lian Buan in Manila Manila Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa has denied the motion for partial reconsideration filed by Rappler journalists, and upheld the cyber libel conviction of Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. “In view of the foregoing, the Motion for Partial Reconsideration filed by Accused Reynaldo Santos ... <a title="Manila court upholds Ressa cyber libel conviction, cites new 15-year period" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/07/27/manila-court-upholds-ressa-cyber-libel-conviction-cites-new-15-year-period/" aria-label="Read more about Manila court upholds Ressa cyber libel conviction, cites new 15-year period">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 30, 2020
By Lian Buan in Manila Rappler chief executive Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr have filed a motion for partial reconsideration, appealing to Manila Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa to reconsider her decision that convicted the journalists of cyber libel. Ressa and Santos’ lawyers from the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) submitted their 132-page motion ... <a title="Rappler chief Ressa appeals over cyber libel conviction, cites errors, ‘malice’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/30/rappler-chief-ressa-appeals-over-cyber-libel-conviction-cites-errors-malice/" aria-label="Read more about Rappler chief Ressa appeals over cyber libel conviction, cites errors, ‘malice’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2020
Pacific Media Watch Timor-Leste’s Minister of Justice plans to present to the Council of Ministers a proposal to include criminal defamation in the country’s penal code. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Timor-Leste Press Union (TLPU) have protested against the move that would undermine press freedom and public interest journalism, reports ... <a title="Media rights groups protest against Timor’s draft defamation law" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/media-rights-groups-protest-against-timors-draft-defamation-law/" aria-label="Read more about Media rights groups protest against Timor’s draft defamation law">Read more</a>
