PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

Belarusian author Svetlana Alexievich wins 2015 Nobel Prize for literature
Known for chronicling the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, author Svetlana Alexievich was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize for literature Thursday “for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time.” She is only the 14th woman to win the prize, which has been awarded 107 times. CNN

Two Hindi language journalists arrested, charged with supporting rebels
Santosh Yadav, who gathered news for multiple Hindi newspapers, was arrested on Sep. 29th. Somaru Nag, a stringer-cum-news agent, was detained on Jul. 16. The lack of clarity around their alleged offenses highlights the perils of being a rural reporter in the militarized, resource-rich region of South Chhattisgarh, India. THE HOOT

Azerbaijan bars entry to Amnesty International staff
Amidst a crackdown on critics, activists, and journalists, authorities in Azerbaijan have expelled two Georgian Amnesty International delegates. Meanwhile, the Council of Europe is withdrawing from the joint working group on human rights there. Among the working group’s members was Khadija Ismaylova, the country’s most prominent investigative journalist, who was sentenced last month on corruption charges. TRANSITIONS ONLINE

Ex-Reuters editor Matthew Keys found guilty of hacking
Former Reuters social media editor Matthew Keys was found guilty of computer hacking under the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act on Wednesday. In 2010, Keys posted the Tribune Company’s content management system login credentials to a chatroom, resulting in the defacement of an LA Times article. Keys could face up to 25 years in prison. BOING BOING

UN agency expresses “regret” over cyberviolence report
A United Nations agency has formally retracted its report on “cyber violence against women and girls” following criticism from the likes of games industry lobbyists and advocates for online abuse victims. The report’s claims that video games inspire violence were said to have included messy citations that failed to back up its assertions. ARS TECHNICA

Social media users enraged over alleged Skype, Viber, WhatsApp ban in Egypt
Egypt’s telecommunications authority’s alleged ban has prevented many across the country from using Voice over Internet Protocol services, sparking outrage on social media. Communications expert Ahmed Medhat said that the move is indicative of the government’s desire to “block whatever they can’t monitor.” EGYPTIAN STREETS

Wearable devices could secretly jeopardize users’ security
Carelessly stored data collected through a wearable device such as an activity tracker, a smartwatch, or a pulse tracker could potentially expose users to security breaches that result in personal information ending up in the hands of malicious third parties. Companies could also legally use data to their advantage without consumers ever knowing. TECH REPUBLIC

Major TV networks sign onto freelancer safety compact
Several major American TV news networks have signed their names to a set of best practices for protecting the freelance journalists who work for them. CNN, ABC, NBC, and CBS are now official signatories to a list of guidelines that call on news organizations to, among other things, treat freelancers the same way they would full-time staffers in cases of kidnap or injury. POYNTER