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]

Iran sentences U.S. journalist to prison *PEN Case List
The Iranian government has sentenced detained Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian to an unspecified prison term following his conviction last month on charges that include espionage, Iranian state TV reported Sunday. A spokesman for the country’s judiciary announced the punishment in a statement on the station’s website. ABC NEWS

Gunmen kill TV journalist in Pakistan
Attackers riding a motorcycle fired on 42-year-old Hafeezur Rehman near his home on the outskirts of Kohat, Pakistan on Sunday. “He was hit by three bullets and died on the spot,” a police spokesman told AFP. The killing came weeks after a similar attack, later reportedly claimed by Taliban militants, on Zaman Mehsud, a newspaper journalist in the nearby town of Tank. THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE

Saudi Arabia: Poet sentenced to death for apostasy
A Saudi court sentenced a Palestinian man to death on Nov. 17 for alleged blasphemous statements during a discussion group and in a book of his poetry. The accused, Ashraf Fayadh, 35, denies the charges and claims that another man made false accusations to the country’s religious police following a personal dispute. Fayadh has 30 days to file his appeal. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Syria: Fears for life of free expression advocate Bassel Khartabil
The activist is being held in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance may be facing a death sentence, 36 local and international organizations said today. His wife has received unconfirmed reports that a military court has sentenced him to death. His whereabouts should be disclosed immediately, and he should be released unconditionally, the groups said. INDEX ON CENSORSHIP

Journalist shot in Bangladesh after funeral for hanged opposition leader
Unknown assailants opened fire on a Bangladesh TV channel’s vehicle and wounded a journalist on Sunday, hours after two opposition leaders were hanged for war crimes committed during the 1971 war to break away from Pakistan. The vehicle was returning from the funeral of former lawmaker Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, dubbed the “terror of Chittagong” for his part in hundreds of killings 44 years ago. REUTERS

Australian journalist Sharri Markson detained on Israeli visit
A prominent Australian journalist was detained by Israeli security officials last week for breaching protocol during a visit to a hospital treating victims of the Syrian civil war. Fairfax Media understands that during the visit, Markson broke away from the other journalists to speak to the patients without supervision and exchanged contact details with them, leading to her detainment by security forces. SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Hope is fading for justice after Philippines’ worst massacre
Six years after gunmen flagged down a convoy of cars in the southern Philippine province and massacred all 58 occupants, relatives of the victims said Monday they are losing hope of seeing justice, especially after one of the accused was released on bail. The Philippines’ worst massacre was believed to have been political motivated, and the principal suspects are members of the Ampatuan clan, who ruled Maguindanao province for decades. SF GATE

Taking Free Basics in Kenya for a spin
We all want as many people, if not all to be connected. But the idea of a “free” Internet is a particularly nefarious one, leaving room for loopholes and creating various tiers to Internet access, such as those for access to water and education. The system begs the questions: Should there be different forms to access? And is some Internet really better than none? MEDIUM