#Lebanon 🇱🇧 With Lebanon’s AI & IT Ministry law sent back to committee, @SMEX’s Mohamad Najem asks the bigger question: what would it take to build digital transformation the right way?

A Road Map to Digital Transformation in Lebanon - SMEX

Recently, the law for an AI and IT Ministry was sent back to committees after failing to pass a vote in parliament. Meanwhile, the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR) is…

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#Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 the Media Institute of Southern Africa highlights the six pillars that inform Zimbabwe's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy as well as the structural limitations that hinder its implementation. buff.ly/Z5l8qVi

#Armenia 🇦🇲 One of the beneficiaries of the Digital Spark grant program initiated by the Metamorphosis Foundation & its partners is the Lori Disability-Led Advocacy Initiative Group, which aims to equip persons with visual impairments with practical digital skills buff.ly/KTuIIE2

#Bahrain 🇧🇭 IFEX joins ADHRB & partners in expressing grave concern over Bahrain's campaign of religious persecution targeting Shia citizens amid regional tensions, including the arbitrary arrest and summons of over 600 individuals. buff.ly/GplVhpz

#Lesotho 🇱🇸 the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) addresses gaps in the law on Access to Information, which threatens the constitutional freedom to receive ideas and information without interference by imposing fines for publishing information “without lawful authority”. buff.ly/dhoBiy4

#Kuwait 🇰🇼Authorities have again used the revocation of citizenship as a weapon against political dissent. On 28 July 2026, the Emir revoked the nationality of five exiled activists @GulfCenter4HR.bsky.social reports

Authorities continue to use nationality as a political weapon against dissidents - Gulf Centre for Human Rights

The authorities in Kuwait continue their systematic repressive policies, including stripping tens of thousands of citizens, mostly women and children, of their nationality, in addition to using citizenship...

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#Nigeria 🇳🇬 the International Press Centre and partner organisations have identified electoral security, information integrity, political polarization and the persistent exclusion of underrepresented groups as major risks ahead of Osun State's governorship election in August.

Coalition Maps Path to Secure, Credible and Inclusive Elections in Osun Election

OSOGBO, July 27, 2026 — Civil society organisations implementing the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase Two (EU-SDGN II) programme have identified electoral security,…

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🌎 A study by @europeanjournalists.org and its partners showed that while journalists generally view AI as an opportunity, they are concerned about the ethical issues surrounding its use. buff.ly/N4oCOaS

Study on AI and work in the media sector: journalists want more training

In September 2025, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) published its position on the use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms. The EFJ is now ...

europeanjournalists.org

#India 🇮🇳 Amid the public protests in July, @sflcin.bsky.social called upon the government "to halt the operation of surveillance technologies that disproportionately impact Indian citizens’ fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of speech and expression." buff.ly/psRxCBE

SFLC.in’s Statement on Mass Surveillance During Protests

In connection with the public protests in and surrounding areas of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, several citizens as well as media reports suggested that the Government of NCT of Delhi had deployed a…

sflc.in

#Italy 🇮🇹 The @mediafreedomeu.bsky.social report details the further erosion of media freedom in the country, based on the findings from a mission conducted by various groups in March.

Italy: MFRR report highlights continuing media freedom backsliding

On 9-10 March 2026, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners for its third visit to Rome in ...

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#Ecuador 🇪🇨 FUNDAMEDIOS documents 100 press freedom aggressions in first half of 2026, one every 1.8 days, with State responsible for 46% of attacks and digital space as main attack arena alongside one journalist murder. (In Spanish) buff.ly/yBW5nr1

#Nepal 🇳🇵 Based on the monitoring of Freedom Forum, 42 journalists faced intimidation for their reporting between April and June 2026. buff.ly/cXz3yeZ

🌎 The 35th International Publishers Congress in July organized by IPA brought together over 500 delegates from 44 countries and discussed topics such as the future of global publishing, copyright, AI, literacy, and accessibility.

35th International Publishers Congress in Kuala Lumpur a Resounding Success – International Publishers Association

The 35th International Publishers Congress, which ran from 5-9 July 2026, brought together over 500 delegates from 44 countries and discussed topics such as the future of global publishing,…

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#Venezuela 🇻🇪 Espacio Publico documents the aftermath of the earthquakes: state opacity, delayed response and violation of right to information; 5K+ deaths but no public registry of missing persons or transparent forensic id processes. (In Spanish)

A un mes del doble terremoto: opacidad estatal, respuesta tardía y vulneración del derecho a la información · Espacio Público

A un mes del doble terremoto: opacidad estatal, respuesta tardía y vulneración del derecho a la información

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#Turkey 🇹🇷 @bianet-eng.bsky.social reported that standup comedian Tuba Ulu has received a suspended prison sentence of 5 months for "publicly degrading a segment of the public" due to a joke she made about Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I. Ulu has denied the charge.

Comedian Tuba Ulu sentenced over Ottoman sultan 'f-buddy' joke

The comedian received a suspended prison sentence for the joke.

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#Lebanon🇱🇧 The Parliament sent the draft Ministry of AI & Technology law back for review, a chance worth seizing. AI needs accountable governance, not power concentrated in one ministry. @SMEX.bsky.social analysis breaks down the flaws and a better path. buff.ly/w9ZwXg6

Our thoughts on Lebanon’s new AI and technology ministry - SMEX

Lebanon is on the verge of creating a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Technology. The government has been pushing to advance the draft law quickly, but Parliament just decided to slow things down,...

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🌎 After the creation of the European Centre for Democratic Resilience to fight foreign interference & disinformation, @freepressunlimited.bsky.social said that “it will only deliver its promises if independent media are recognised as part of the solution.”

Independent media are a core player for Europe’s democratic resilience

Foreign interference, disinformation and AI manipulation are becoming common practice and their putting increasing pressure on European democracies. To fight these and other foreign and domestic…

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#India 🇮🇳 @sflcin.bsky.social submitted its comments welcoming the plan to regulate the use of AI in courts while highlighting several concerns such as “inadequate safeguards for sensitive judicial data” and the “potential for AI to exacerbate existing inequalities.”

SFLC.in’s Comments on the draft ‘Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Courts, 2026’

On 3 June 2026, the Supreme Court of India published the draft ‘Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Courts, 2026,’ prepared under the aegis of its Artificial Intelligence…

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This week in #FreeExpression: 🔹 #Egypt: Two years on, Ashraf Omar remains jailed without trial. 🔹 #Azerbaijan: Call for immediate release of journalist Afgan Sadigov. 🔹 #India: Government blocks BitChat amid internet shutdowns. Read #IFEXThisWeek: buff.ly/mMnoUas

#Argentina 🇦🇷 @FOPEA demands end to inadmissible press restrictions at the presidential house, where accredited journalists face movement limits, credential retention by military personnel and unequal access to presidential agenda

FOPEA exige poner fin a las restricciones inadmisibles al periodismo en Casa Rosada – FOPEA

El Foro de Periodismo Argentino (FOPEA) reitera y refuerza el reclamo que ya había planteado ante Presidencia de la Nación por las restricciones que enfrentan desde hace casi dos meses los…

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#Germany 🇩🇪 @europeanjournalists.org joins its affiliates in calling on the state to abandon its plans to amend the Freedom of Information Act. They said the proposed bill threatens press freedom & core human rights essential to transparency in a democracy.

Germany: the government is threatening freedom of information

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its German affiliates, dju in ver.di and DJV, in calling on the German government to abandon its plans ...

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#Kuwait 🇰🇼 70,000+ stripped of nationality.  Kuwait’s new citizenship decree (52/2026) classifies these decisions as sovereign acts with no appeal, no court, no review.  A rights crisis hiding inside a legal “overhaul.” Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain reports. buff.ly/Ir7LywA

#Zambia 🇿🇲 the Media Institute of Southern Africa and partner organisations held a Media and Elections Capacity Building Workshop in Lusaka, where journalists pledged to uphold the highest ethical standards in their coverage of the country’s general elections scheduled for August.

Zambian journalists pledge to uphold highest ethical standards ahead of elections

The workshop was a collaborative effort by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UNESCO Regional Office of Southern Africa (ROSA), the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), the E…

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🌐 @eff.org's Street-Level Surveillance project "shines a light on the surveillance technologies that law enforcement agencies routinely deploy in communities." The resources are designed "to understand the threat posed by emerging technologies." sls.eff.org

Street Level Surveillance

EFF Presents: A Field Guide to Police Surveillance

sls.eff.org

#Tonga 🇹🇴 The Pacific Islands News Association reported the concern of the Media Association of Tonga’s Press Club about the safety of journalists amid rising incidences of illicit drug trade involving influential figures.

Tonga Media warns drug threat demands stronger reporting, Journalist protection | PINA

The growing threat of illicit drugs across the Pacific is increasing pressure on Tonga’s law enforcement and exposing journalists to greater risks, speakers told the Media Association of Tonga’s…

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#Americas 🌎 @derechosdigitales.org analyses connectivity resilience lessons from Chile, Venezuela and Brazil emergencies, warning current plans burden users or depend on corporate goodwill rather than protecting infrastructure. (In Spanish) buff.ly/jNSpI44

#Tunisia 🇹🇳 @gulfcentre4hr.bsky.social and civil society partners in calling on Tunisian authorities to stop imprisoning journalists and human rights defenders for criticising government policies, rights violations and corruption. Free them. Drop the charges. buff.ly/tnwtbGx

🌎 The 2025 report of the @ifla.org is now out. "We see that libraries matter more than ever for informed, resilient and inclusive societies," it noted.

Out Now: IFLA Annual Report 2025

Each year, IFLA Headquarters carefully collects the Federation’s key outputs and innovations and compiles them into an Annual Report, presented to IFLA’s members at our Genera...

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#UAE 🇦🇪private messages can now lead to severe criminal charges. From WhatsApp photos to deleted videos, Cybercrime Laws are increasingly targeting private communications. Read the full report from @ADHRB:

In the UAE, a Private Message Can Cost You Everything | Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain

The UAE has long been notorious for its crackdowns on social media use, and the regional conflict involving Iran has only intensified that approach. Over the past several months, Emirati authorities have...

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#Africa 🌍 the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) joined a multi-disciplinary project team for the Digital Pan-Africanism in AI Governance project in Germany for a joint four-year research and advocacy project on AI Pan-Africanism. buff.ly/cSrSGwZ