This statement was originally published on ipi.media on 30 March 2020. The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, today expressed serious concern over the passing of new legislation handing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sweeping new powers to rule by decree and tighten his…
Latin America: Threats to freedom of expression and information aggravate the health crisis
The first case of COVID-19 in Latin America was confirmed in Brazil, on 26 February 2020, rapidly followed by news of suspected cases in Ecuador, Mexico and Argentina. The virus arrived ‘late’ in Latin America, when the situation was already considered serious in China, Iran and Italy, and spreading fast elsewhere. This meant that governments…
COVID-19 puts the spotlight on those who govern us
With countries across Europe and Central Asia imposing rights-restricting lockdowns and declaring states of emergency, COVID-19 is shining a spotlight on who we really are. All governments are facing the challenge of balancing a duty to protect public health with the rights to free expression, free assembly and access to information. Some are managing that…
COVID-19 and censorship plague Asia-Pacific
What we saw spreading quickly across the region in March was not just the dreaded coronavirus, but the mainstreaming of laws, regulations, and other emergency measures deemed essential in fighting it. These measures are also – perhaps not coincidentally – very useful in suppressing critical voices. In short, the fear, disruption, and confusion caused by…