Committee to Protect Journalists - UK tag:cpj.org,2008-09-16://1 2013-04-02T21:34:57Z Movable Type 4.38 UK urged to reconsider post-Leveson media proposals tag:cpj.org,2013://1.21498 2013-04-02T19:39:45Z 2013-04-02T21:34:57Z Dear Prime Minister Cameron: You recently spoke out in defense of press freedom in Africa by raising the case of an imprisoned Somali journalist when you met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The journalist was subsequently released. The moral authority of a British prime minister to mount such a defense stems in part from Britain's history of nearly 300 years without government regulation of the press. Committee to Protect Journalists Attacks on the Press in 2012: United Kingdom tag:beta.cpj.org,2013://1.20547 2013-02-14T05:05:26Z 2013-02-04T21:07:16Z The Leveson inquiry, begun in 2011 after revelations of phone-hacking and other ethical lapses by the press, drew to a close with the issuance of a lengthy report that proposed the creation of an independent regulatory body backed by statute. Critics, including CPJ, warned that statutory regulation would infringe on... Committee to Protect Journalists The Leveson inquiry, begun in 2011 after revelations of phone-hacking and other ethical lapses by the press, drew to a close with the issuance of a lengthy report that proposed the creation of an independent regulatory body backed by statute. Critics, including CPJ, warned that statutory regulation would infringe on press freedom; Prime Minister David Cameron urged instead that the industry strengthen self-regulation. Some progress was made toward the reform of libel laws, which are highly unfavorable to journalists because they allow for “libel tourism,” the practice of filing claims based on minimum circulation within the United Kingdom even when plaintiffs and defendants are not based there. Libel legislation introduced in May would limit long and costly proceedings and make it easier for frivolous cases to be quickly dismissed. Press freedom advocates said such reform would be an important step forward, but urged lawmakers to strengthen public-interest defense and protect Internet service providers. The measure was pending in the House of Lords in late year. In June, the Home Office proposed a measure to increase government surveillance of all online communications. The proposal met with strong criticism--detractors called it the “snooper’s charter”--and a Parliamentary review committee dismissed it as excessive. The government sought to allow Sweden to extradite Julian Assange for questioning in an alleged assault, prompting the WikiLeaks founder to take refuge in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London. One journalist in Belfast was threatened in 2012, and the 11-year-old murder of Irish reporter Martin O’Hagen remained unsolved.

]]> UK should press Somalia on journalist's jailing, murders tag:cpj.org,2013://1.20976 2013-02-01T16:50:05Z 2013-02-01T18:21:46Z Dear Prime Minister Cameron: In anticipation of your meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud next week, we would like to bring to your attention recent actions taken by the Somali government, as well as the increasing number of unsolved journalist murders in the country. Committee to Protect Journalists Two journalists attacked in a week in Northern Ireland tag:cpj.org,2012://1.20832 2012-12-19T22:23:26Z 2012-12-19T23:18:48Z London, December 19, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that two attacks against journalists in Northern Ireland have taken place over the past week. On Friday, a pipe bomb was left at the door of the home of freelance press photographer Mark Pearce. On Monday, Adrian Rutherford, a... Committee to Protect Journalists Protesters block the road in front of Belfast City Hall to protest a decision to limit display of the union flag. (Reuters/Cathal McNaughton)

London, December 19, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that two attacks against journalists in Northern Ireland have taken place over the past week. On Friday, a pipe bomb was left at the door of the home of freelance press photographer Mark Pearce. On Monday, Adrian Rutherford, a reporter with the daily Belfast Telegraph, was attacked by a gang while covering Loyalist protests in East Belfast.

]]> In UK, Leveson recommendations undermine free press tag:cpj.org,2012://1.20719 2012-11-29T19:40:53Z 2012-11-29T22:33:49Z New York, November 29, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by recommendations to adopt government regulation of the press resulting from the United Kingdom's Leveson inquiry report issued today.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, November 29, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by recommendations to adopt government regulation of the press resulting from the United Kingdom's Leveson inquiry report issued today.

]]> Cameron and Gilani should discuss journalist security tag:cpj.org,2012://1.19318 2012-05-08T14:52:36Z 2012-05-08T15:20:10Z Dear Prime Minister Cameron: As you begin your meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to review the Pakistan-U.K. Enhanced Strategic Dialogue, we would like to draw your attention to concerns regarding the protection of journalists in Pakistan. CPJ data show that the country has been ranked the deadliest in the world for journalists for two consecutive years. This year, Pakistan also placed 10th on CPJ's Impunity Index, which spotlights countries where journalists are regularly murdered and their killers go free. Committee to Protect Journalists Attacks on the Press in 2011: Regulating the Internet tag:cpj.org,2012://1.17646 2012-02-22T04:36:01Z 2012-02-19T23:33:44Z Legislation for Internet security can quickly turn into a weapon against the free press. Cybercrime laws are intended to extend existing penal codes to the online world, but they can easily be broadened to criminalize standard journalistic practices. By Danny O'Brien... Committee to Protect Journalists Thai website editor Chiranuch Premchaiporn faces criminal charges. (AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)

Legislation for Internet security can quickly turn into a weapon against the free press. Cybercrime laws are intended to extend existing penal codes to the online world, but they can easily be broadened to criminalize standard journalistic practices. By Danny O'Brien

]]> Attacks on the Press in 2011: Europe, a Leader That Lags tag:cpj.org,2012://1.17657 2012-02-22T04:22:01Z 2012-02-19T22:29:28Z In the EU, some countries appear more immune than others to scrutiny and reproach. Anti-terror laws, political and economic concerns, and a lack of common standards all challenge the credibility of the EU's diplomacy. By Jean-Paul Marthoz... Committee to Protect Journalists Until his last days in office, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi pursued restrictive legislation known as the 'gag law.' (Reuters/Alessandro Garofalo)

In the EU, some countries appear more immune than others to scrutiny and reproach. Anti-terror laws, political and economic concerns, and a lack of common standards all challenge the credibility of the EU's diplomacy. By Jean-Paul Marthoz

]]> Attacks on the Press in 2011: United Kingdom tag:cpj.org,2012://1.17638 2012-02-21T05:03:01Z 2012-05-17T01:42:33Z The News of the World phone-hacking scandal and subsequent public inquiry raised concerns that public interest journalism could suffer from efforts to curtail unethical practices through regulation. While investigating related police leaks, Scotland Yard invoked the Official Secrets Act to pressure a journalist to reveal sources for her coverage... Committee to Protect Journalists The News of the World phone-hacking scandal and subsequent public inquiry raised concerns that public interest journalism could suffer from efforts to curtail unethical practices through regulation. While investigating related police leaks, Scotland Yard invoked the Official Secrets Act to pressure a journalist to reveal sources for her coverage of the scandal. Authorities ultimately backed down from the unprecedented effort. Several journalists came under attack while covering mass riots in urban areas in August. Prime Minister David Cameron said news outlets must hand over raw footage of rioters and suggested the government restrict social media tools to curb street violence. The government drafted a defamation bill aimed at reforming the U.K.'s much-criticized libel laws. The measure had yet to go through parliament.

]]> Iran detains, harasses relatives of BBC Persian service staff tag:cpj.org,2012://1.18428 2012-02-03T22:19:04Z 2012-02-03T22:41:54Z New York, February 3, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the detention and harassment in Iran of relatives of BBC Persian service staff who work outside the country, which is part of a sustained campaign to intimidate journalists into not reporting critically on Tehran's activities.... Committee to Protect Journalists An Iranian hardline student protests against the BBC during a demonstration outside the British embassy in Tehran on August 14, 2011. (AFP/Behrouz Mehri)

New York, February 3, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the detention and harassment in Iran of relatives of BBC Persian service staff who work outside the country, which is part of a sustained campaign to intimidate journalists into not reporting critically on Tehran's activities.

]]> UK must not undermine news media tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17737 2011-08-17T20:38:22Z 2011-08-17T21:01:36Z Dear Prime Minister Cameron: The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned about the steps to curb recent riots in the United Kingdom that are under consideration by your government. These measures would set alarming precedents that hinder press freedom and the free flow of information. Committee to Protect Journalists CPJ condemns U.K. calls for riot footage and restrictions tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17712 2011-08-11T21:43:21Z 2011-08-11T21:51:04Z New York, August 11, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron's statement calling for broadcasters to immediately provide unedited footage and for measures restricting social networking as a means to stem ongoing riots in the country.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, August 11, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron's statement calling for broadcasters to immediately provide unedited footage and for measures restricting social networking as a means to stem ongoing riots in the country.

]]> CPJ concerned by attacks on journalists in London tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17697 2011-08-09T16:26:48Z 2011-08-10T19:47:17Z The Committee to Protect Journalists is aggrieved by reports that journalists covering the riots in London and other cities are being attacked.... Committee to Protect Journalists reports that journalists covering the riots in London and other cities are being attacked.

]]> Photojournalist shot in Northern Ireland sectarian violence tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17500 2011-06-23T19:38:47Z 2011-06-23T19:57:30Z New York, June 23, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ulster authorities to investigate the shooting of photographer Niall Carson and ensure the safety of journalists covering sectarian violence in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, June 23, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ulster authorities to investigate the shooting of photographer Niall Carson and ensure the safety of journalists covering sectarian violence in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.

]]> Singapore gives jail time to writer critical of death penalty tag:cpj.org,2010://1.16312 2010-11-16T21:46:57Z 2010-11-16T21:49:08Z New York, November 16, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Singapore High Court's sentencing of British author Alan Shadrake to prison over his book criticizing the nation's judiciary.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, November 16, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Singapore High Court's sentencing of British author Alan Shadrake to prison over his book criticizing the nation's judiciary.

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