2005
CPJ urges Hu to release journalists, shed notorious title
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the imprisonment of journalists for their work. In a survey released today, CPJ found that China is the world’s leading jailer of journalists for the seventh consecutive year, with 32 writers and editors behind bars. Four were imprisoned this year, adding to the long list of journalists previously jailed.
UGANDA
DECEMBER 13, 2005 Posted: Jauary 23, 2006 James Tumusiime, The Weekly ObserverSsemujju Ibrahim Nganda, The Weekly Observer HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION Editor Tumusiime and reporter Nganda of the privately owned newspaper The Weekly Observer were summoned to a police station in the capital, Kampala, where they were held for about five hours and charged with “promoting…
Accreditation of last independent foreign broadcaster withheld
New York, December 12, 2005—Uzbekistan today denied accreditation to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), silencing the last independent foreign broadcaster reporting from the country. The Foreign Ministry wrote the U.S.-funded radio station that it would not renew accreditation for its Tashkent bureau and would withdraw the current press cards of four RFE/RL correspondents in the…
CPJ condemns killing of Al-Nahar columnist and manager
New York, December 12, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the assassination today in Beirut of Gebran Tueni, a journalist and member of parliament who was a fierce critic of Syria and its policies in Lebanon. Tueni, 48, was managing director of Lebanon’s leading daily Al-Nahar. A parked car exploded as Tueni’s armored vehicle drove…
Two more journalists jailed on old charges
New York, December 12, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged that two more journalists have been jailed on criminal charges that have been revived since a crackdown on the press in November. The convictions last week relating to articles published up to seven years ago bring the number of journalists now behind bars in…
journalist Ching Cheong extended
New York, December 12, 2005—Chinese authorities have extended for three months the detention without charge of Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong, a move condemned today by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Ching, a reporter for the Singapore daily The Straits Times, has been held since April 22 without access to a lawyer. “It is deplorable…
Journalist attacked twice in a week amid worsening press freedom crisis
New York, December 9, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the beating and intimidation of Mohammad Sadiq al-Odaini, head of a Yemeni independent press freedom group. Al-Odaini, secretary-general of the Center for Training and Protecting Journalist Freedom, told CPJ that earlier this week he was threatened at gunpoint by a man he recognized as a…
Government intensifies crackdown on freedom of expression
New York, December 9, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the detention of journalist Hang Sakhorn on a charge of criminal libel, part of a growing government crackdown on freedom of expression in Cambodia. Sakhorn, editor of the occasional newspaper Ponleu Samaki, was arrested December 2 over an article published in September that accused state…
CPJ welcomes Supreme Court decision to move murder trial venue
New York, December 9, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Philippine Supreme Court’s ruling ordering the transfer of venue in the murder trial of columnist Marlene Esperat-Garcia from the city of Tacurong on the southern island of Mindanao to the central city of Cebu. The High Court’s November 23 decision, which was made public…
Authorities ignore second Supreme Court order to free journalist
New York, December 9, 2005—Tajik authorities have ignored a second Supreme Court order to release jailed independent journalist Jumaboy Tolibov, according to a local CPJ legal source, who is monitoring the case. The court ruled on October 11 and again on November 28 that Tolibov should be freed from a detention center in the town…