Press freedom in the news 1/20/2009

The murder of prominent Sri Lankan editor Lasantha Wickramatunga remains in the news with The New York Times running an editorial about him over the weekend. The Daily Times of Pakistan also has coverage of Wickramatunga’s death, which has garnered worldwide attention with the publication of the editor’s final column–it explained why he felt compelled to risk his life to pursue journalism.

Also over the weekend, the U.A.E.-based newspaper The National had coverage of the toll the conflict in Gaza has taken on journalists. CPJ released a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday calling on him to lift the ban on letting foreign press into Gaza.