(IAPA/IFEX) - Bogota, April 27, 2009 - Public prosecutors, judges and members of the press agreed that the reduction of sentences in cases of crimes against journalists must be limited to prevent what has become known as "relative impunity." The call came during a forum here held by the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), the Colombian National Newspapers Association (ANDIARIOS) and the Attorney General's Office.

(MRA/IFEX) - A one-day conference to commemorate the 2009 World Press Freedom Day was held in Lagos on Monday, May 4, 2009. Organized by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos and Media Rights Agenda (MRA), the conference brought together scores of media owners, media managers, editors and other media professionals as well as representatives of civil society and other stakeholder groups to discuss the conference theme: "The Role of the Media in Fostering Dialogue and Mutual Understanding between the Government and the People".

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, May 4, 2009 - After confiscating thousands of copies of a critical independent newspaper, authorities laid siege today to the paper's offices in Aden, Yemen. The daily, Al-Ayyam, has been covering the ongoing conflict in the country's southern region.

(GHM/IFEX) - 2 May 2009 - The Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), on the occasion of tomorrow's World Press Freedom Day, denounces the abuse of press freedom by Greece's largest newspaper, which systematically attacks academics and European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judges for views expressed or judgments issued that are perceived by the prevailing nationalist hysteria as "anti-Greek." What is even more condemnable is that absolutely no one has ever denounced that newspaper's attacks, not even the colleagues of those targeted.

(EFJA/IFEX) - 3 May 2009 - We, members of the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists Association (EFJA) in exile all over the world, observe today, 3 May 2009, with highly charged emotions.

(AMARC/IFEX) - El Salvador, 3 May 2009 - In the framework of World Press Freedom Day, the Movement for Democratic Communication launched a campaign calling on the government elect, which will take power on 1 June, to implement public policies on information and communication.

(PPF/IFEX) - Three journalists were manhandled and injured at Karachi airport by an unruly mob that had come to greet Syed Munawwar Hassan, the newly elected chief of Jamaat-e-Islam (JI), a religious political party, on May 2, 2009.

(IAPA/IFEX) - Miami, Florida, May 1, 2009 - With certain exceptions freedom of the press is still in force in the Americas, yet it is overshadowed by the hostile attitude of intolerant heads of state, by the global economic crisis that is affecting the newspaper industry, and by the violence unleashed against journalists and news media.

(JED/IFEX) - Kinshasa, 2 May 2009 - As is the tradition each year, the entire world celebrates World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2009. This year, the chosen theme is "Media, dialogue and mutual understanding."

(NUSOJ/IFEX) - On 3 May 2009, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) held a conference on media freedom and safety of journalists to commemorate World Press Freedom Day (WPFD).

(AJI/IFEX) - The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) of Indonesia has condemned the attack on several journalists by rioting soldiers in the province of Papua.

(PEN/IFEX) - New York City, May 3, 2009 - PEN American Center is marking World Press Freedom Day today by launching the "Freedom to Write in the Americas" campaign, which will run through the rest of 2009, and by releasing the "Declaration in Defense of the Freedom to Write in the Americas." The Declaration is endorsed by Jon Lee Anderson, Ernesto Cardenal, Edwidge Danticat, Junot Díaz, Francisco Goldman, Alma Guillermoprieto, Elena Poniatowska, Sergio Ramírez and 50 other distinguished writers throughout the region.

(IAPA/IFEX) - Miami, (April 30, 2009) - The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today expressed disappointment at the Colombian Supreme Court's decision to not accept a request by the country's Attorney General to review the legal proceedings in the murder case of journalist Nelson Carvajal Carvajal.

(WAN/IFEX) - Paris, 3 May 2009 - The World Association of Newspapers has protested to the leaders of five countries today, World Press Freedom Day, against the jailings and widespread attacks on journalists in their countries.

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 29 April 2009, RTC Canal 13 television station journalist Rosa Huapaya and camera operator Julio Bazán were beaten with sticks by a group of protesters when they were covering a demonstration in the city of Huamachuco, in the region of La Libertad, northwestern Perú. The demonstrators, who included subsistence farmers and members of both the Education Workers' Union (Sindicato Unitario de Trabajadores de la Educación, SUTEP) and a public interest group (Frente de Defensa de los Intereses de los Pueblos, FEDIPE), were protesting against issues relating to the government administration in the area.

(CIJ, interim member/IFEX) - Kuala Lumpur, 3 May 2009 - The time is right for reforms in media freedom and freedom of expression as the Malaysian public grows more discerning and demanding for a freer and more democratic society.

(IRFS/IFEX) - Baku, Azerbaijan, 3 May 2009 - In connection with 3 May 2009, which is the 17th Annual World Press Freedom Day and the third anniversary of the founding of our organization, we, the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), express concern about the press freedom situation in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

(RSF/IFEX) - In the run-up to World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2009, Reporters Without Borders is campaigning for the release of three women journalists who have been "taken hostage" by governments.

(PINA/IFEX) - 3 May 2009 - As the world celebrates Media Freedom Day, we in the Pacific are thinking of our colleagues in Fiji who have nothing to celebrate because their freedoms have been forcefully curtailed by the ruling government.

(PINA/IFEX) - 3 May 2009 - As the world celebrates Media Freedom Day, we in the Pacific are thinking of our colleagues in Fiji who have nothing to celebrate because their freedoms have been forcefully curtailed by the ruling government.