2005
CPJ concerned by reports of editors’ imminent arrest
New York, August 25, 2005—The editors of Nepal’s two leading daily newspapers believe police plan to arrest them for their coverage of political unrest in the Himalayan kingdom, whose leadership has imposed widespread curbs on press freedom this year. Narayan Wagle, editor of Kantipur, and Prateek Pradhan, editor of the Kathmandu Post, were told by…
Editor of independent weekly sentenced to two years corrective labor
New York, August 25, 2005—A judge in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, convicted the editor of a shuttered opposition newspaper on theft charges today, sentencing him to two years of “corrective” labor, fining him, and garnishing part of his wages. The Committee to Protect Journalists denounced the verdict, calling the charges politically motivated. Mukhtor Bokizoda told…
Government harasses independent journalists group
New York, August 25, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed deep concern today about Tunisian authorities’ continuing harassment of the recently formed Tunisian Journalists Syndicate (SJT) and the government’s apparent plan to prevent the group’s members from gathering in Tunis next month. Security officials in the capital, Tunis, interrogated SJT head Lotfi Hajji for five…
Second independent journalist jailed in less than a month
New York, August 25, 2005 – Cuba has jailed a second independent journalist who covered an unprecedented opposition meeting in May. Albert Santiago Du Bouchet Hernández, was arrested on August 6, tried three days later and handed a one-year jail term without the knowledge of his family who found out about his detention only after…
IVORY COAST
AUGUST 24, 2005 Posted September 8, 2005 All newspapers THREATENED At a meeting with local journalists the head of Ivory Coast’s armed forces threatened to ban newspapers that fail to work “in the interests of the nation.” General Philippe Mangou told journalists to check their sources and avoid hate speech. He also warned them to…
TUNISIA
AUGUST 24, 2005 Posted: August 29, 2005 Lotfi Hajji, Tunisian Journalists Syndicate Tunisian Journalists Syndicate HARASSED Security officials in Tunis interrogated Lotfi Hajji, head of the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate (SJT), for five hours, the journalist told CPJ. A security official told Hajji that the government had decided to bar the SJT from holding its first…
Media council lifts ban on independent radio station
New York, August 24, 2005—Chad lifted a ban on Tuesday on Radio Brakos which was taken off air three months ago for reports critical of government and military officials, station director Tchanguis Vatankah told CPJ. He said the station would resume broadcasting in the remote southern town of Moissala shortly but would join this week’s…
Imprisoned journalist on hunger strike
New York, August 24, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply worried about the health of imprisoned journalist Adolfo Fernández Saínz, who began a hunger strike last week to protest the mistreatment of another imprisoned dissident. Fernández Saínz began the strike on Friday, after learning that imprisoned dissident Arnaldo Ramos Lauzurique had been beaten by…
Newspaper distributor detained, released on bail
New York, August 24, 2005—A prominent newspaper distributor was released on bail Tuesday after four days in police detention in the capital, Addis Ababa. Fikre Gudu was arrested in connection with an interview he gave to the private Amharic-language weekly Asqual about his one-month imprisonment in June, according to local sources who spoke to him…
Reuters Journalist Held without Charge by U.S.
New York, August 24, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists demands that the U.S. military explain why it is holding a freelance Iraqi photojournalist working for Reuters news agency or release him immediately. “U.S. officials must credibly explain the basis for the detention of Ali Omar Abrahem al-Mashhadani and other journalists being held without charge, or…