2006
Chechen comments lead to editor’s conviction for ‘inciting hatred’
New York, February 3, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the criminal conviction of Stanislav Dmitriyevsky, director of the human rights organization Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and editor of its newspaper Pravo-Zashchita. Today’s verdict is based on the newspaper’s publication of comments from Chechen rebel leaders calling for peace talks.
Journalist released after three days in custody
February 2, 2006 Original Alert: January 20, 2006 Sydney Saize IMPRISONED Sydney Saize, a former journalist for the banned independent Daily News, was released after spending three nights in police custody in the eastern town of Mutare. Police accused Saize of working without accreditation and filing a “false” story for the U.S. government-funded Voice of…
Algerian journalist jailed for criminal defamation
New York, February 2, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the imprisonment of an Algerian journalist for criminal defamation. Bachir Larabi of the independent daily El-Khabar was arrested on January 21 at his home in the southwestern town of El-Bayadh and jailed the following day, local journalists told CPJ. He was convicted in absentia on…
Palestinian journalist harassed
JANUARY 24, 2006 Posted: February 1, 2006 Mais Abu Ghazaleh, Palestine News Network HARASSED Abu Ghazaleh, 23, was summoned and questioned extensively by Israeli intelligence regarding her work for the Palestine News Network, according to the journalist and the network’s director, Fadi Abu Sada
Two journalists reportedly kidnapped in Baghdad
New York, February 1, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a report that two Iraqi broadcast journalists were abducted in western Baghdad today. Journalists Marwan Ghazal and Reem Zaeed, from the privately owned television station Samaria TV, were abducted by gunmen in Baghdad’s Yarmouk district after covering a meeting at the offices of…
France jails Ivoirian army officer over disappeared journalist
New York, February 1, 2006—French authorities have jailed an Ivoirian army officer in connection with the 2004 disappearance in Ivory Coast of journalist Guy-André Kieffer, according to Kieffer’s wife and Agence France-Presse. Osange Silou-Kieffer told CPJ today that Capt. Jean-Tony Oulaï was arrested on January 11 in Paris and is being questioned by a French…
Police break up media protests on first anniversary of Nepal royal coup
New York, February 1, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the beating and arrest of journalists Wednesday in demonstrations to mark one year since King Gyanendra seized absolute power and restricted media freedoms in Nepal. Local journalists told CPJ police used water cannon and batons to break up a protest in the capital Kathmandu. At…
Police confiscate copies of opposition newspaper
New York, February 1, 2006—Police in the southern Belarusian town of Zhlobin confiscated several hundred copies of Tovarishch (Comrade), the official newspaper of the Belarusian Communist Party, on Tuesday, the independent news agency Belapan reported. Vladimir Katsora, a Tovarishch distributor, was transporting copies to the city of Gomel. The seized issue contained coverage of the…