Organizations monitoring freedom of the press from across North Africa (Mauritania to Egypt) have recently joined forces for an anti-censorship alliance:
...The founding members have agreed to:
To share information on the incidence of violations of free expression To organize campaigns and solidarity actions with victims of the violations By
-organizing rallies and protests in front of embassies
-sending letters of support to victims of repression
-launching urgent actions
-inciting the media to highlight attacks on free expression in our respective countries.To create a Website for the working group
To document and report the attacks
To send fact findings missions to countries if required by the situation
To share experiences
The founding members have decided to open it doors to new members provided that they fulfil the conditions of being credible and active on the ground. New members application must be approved by the founding members.

Last July 17, Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh ostensibly threw in the towel, telling the nation he would not run again for a 5th term. After 28 years in power, it indeed seemed about time for a peaceful democratic transition. But that was the line he used back in 1999, and it worked wonders then too.

Nasrin Allavi
HRInfo