<p>The mainstream Thai mass media faces a complex set of challenges ranging from legal barriers and political bias to other internal problems that prevent it from protecting the public interest and advancing freedom and democracy, Thailand's first Asian Media Barometer report has found.</p>

<p>A review of 2010 indicates increased government effort to control freedom of expression and monopolise the dissemination of information. The Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government adopted a multi-pronged approach, using the myriad of laws at its disposal to curb expression.</p>

<p>The United Nations Special Rapporteur on&nbsp; the Protection and Promotion on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression calls on the Government of Egypt,&nbsp; to guarantee full security for journalists, national and international as well&nbsp; as the free function of all Press agencies in the country.&nbsp; Encourages the authorities as well to facilitate the normal operations of&nbsp; internet service providers and all forms of communications including the Freedom of Expression of internet users.</p>

<p>The criminal court will conduct the witness hearings on the case of Ms. Chiranuch Premchaiporn from 4 to 17 February 2010. Ms. Chiranuch will appear as the defendant, while the Office of the Special Attorney on Criminal Case 8 which is under Office of the Attorney-General will appear as the prosecutor. This case deals with the penalty related to the intermediary under the Section 15 of the Computer Crime Act which is related to supporting or consenting to an offence related to national security within a computer system under the intermediary’s control.<br /></p>

<p>January 26, 2011, Kathmandu. The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) condemns the killing of another broadcaster in the Philippines, Dr Gerardo Ortega of dwAR-AM of Puerto Princesa, Palawan Province last January 24, 2011. </p>

<p>The Mae Sot Immigration office in Thailand freed John San Lin, a Burmese freelance journalist, and his colleague Pascal Schatterman, a Belgian national, on the evening of 24 January 201, after they paid a fine of THB500 (US$16).</p>

<p>The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia is calling for media freedom groups around the world to send a letter of appeal to the management of &ldquo;Utusan Malaysia&rdquo;, a major Malay daily in the country, to abandon its intention to hold a domestic inquiry against one of its journalists.</p>

<p>The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is concerned over the alleged assault of &quot;Bernama&quot; photographer Hairul Nizam Baharin while he was carrying out his duties on 9 January 2011. Reports indicate that Hairul Nizam was questioned by auxiliary police after he had taken photos near the Integrated Transportation Terminal in Bandar Tasik Selatan, Kuala Lumpur, at 11.30 a.m. on that day. He was allegedly punched, assaulted, handcuffed and brought to the police station after refusing their request to stop his motorcycle and provide his identification card.</p>

<p>The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) views with great concern the death threats against Azwan Ismail, a participant of the video project, &ldquo;It Gets Better in Malaysia&rdquo;. According to the project&rsquo;s coordinators from Seksualiti Merdeka, the videos were made &ldquo;in response to accounts of suicides and attempted suicides by LGBT teenagers and adults&rdquo;. They were intended to give hope to those who may be overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness, fear or hopelessness, telling them that &ldquo;it gets better&rdquo;.</p>

<p><strong>Figures in 2010</strong><br /> 57 journalists killed (25% fewer than in 2009)<br /> 51 journalists kidnapped<br /> 535 journalists arrested<br /> 1374 physically attacked or threatened<br /> 504 media censored<br /> 127 journalists fled their country<br /> 152 bloggers and netizens arrested<br /> 52 physically attacked<br /> 62 countries affected by Internet censorship</p>

<p>Two Indonesian journalists were injured when some 30 members of the Kaili Youth Front attacked the office of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and online media outlet Beritapalu.com in Palu City, Central Sulawesi, on 30 December at 10:30 am local time.</p>

<p>Asia&rsquo;s four Communist regimes, North Korea (177th place), China (171st), Vietnam (165th) Laos (168th), are among the fifteen lowest-ranked countries of the 2010 World Press Freedom Index. Ranked just one place behind Eritrea, hellish totalitarian North Korea has shown no improvement. To the contrary: in a succession framework set up by Kim Jong-il in favour of his son, crackdowns have become even harsher. China, despite its dynamic media and Internet, remains in a low position because of non-stop censorship and repression, notably in Tibet and Xinjiang.</p>