2006
Journalists on trial for “promoting sectarianism”
New York, June 8, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled that two journalists are to go on trial in Uganda, charged with “promoting sectarianism” in an article criticizing government persecution of opposition leader Kizza Besigye. Editor James Tumusiime and reporter Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda of the independent Weekly Observer face up to five years…
Cambodia: Newspaper journalist arrested while covering squatter evictions
New York, June 8, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest of Cambodian journalist Hem Choun, a reporter with the occasional Khmer-language newspaper Samrek Yutethor. Chuon was arrested June 7 by military police while reporting on the eviction of squatters by security forces at Sombok Chab, 11 miles (19 kilometers) outside the capital Phnom…
Arson attack on investigative journalist
New York, June 7, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arson attack on an investigative reporter and his family in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson. Attackers set fire June 3 to the apartment of Sergei Yanovsky, correspondent of the Kyiv-based newspaper Kievskiye Vedomosti. The newspaper reported that unidentified assailants poured gasoline through the…
Turkish journalists face ongoing criminal prosecutions
New York, June 7, 2006— The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the ongoing criminal prosecution of journalists in Turkey. Three journalists are before the courts in Istanbul this week for their work. Perihan Magden, a columnist for the weekly magazine Yeni Aktuel, went on trial today charged with discouraging Turks from performing military…
Online journalist to serve six months in prison
New York, June 7, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the prison sentence handed down to a Syrian online journalist by a military court for articles advocating rights for Syria’s Kurdish minority, and criticizing the ruling Baath Party. Muhammad Ghanem, editor of the news Web site Surion, was found guilty Tuesday of…
CPJ protests media repression
Your Excellency: We are writing to you as president of a country that is an elected member of the newly established United Nations Human Rights Council, to urge you to uphold the right to press freedom in Tunisia. The Council, which will meet later this month for the first time, is the main U.N. body tasked with promoting human rights. As an elected member Tunisia is required to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights,” according to the U.N. General Assembly resolution that established the Council.
CPJ sends new Iraqi prime minister press freedom recommendations
Your Excellency: We are writing to express our concern about a disturbing pattern of restrictions on the press in Iraq, and to urge your new government to take swift action to ensure the ability of journalists to carry out their work without official interference.
CPJ concerned about deteriorating health of two Cuban journalists
New York, June 6, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern today at the worsening health of two independent Cuban journalists. Guillermo Fariñas, who has refused food for four months to protest government restrictions on Internet access, was still unconscious five days after emergency surgery to remove fluid from his left lung, his mother told…
Palestinian journalists attacked, threatened by leading factions
New York, June 6, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalist is deeply concerned by attacks and threats against the press in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by suspected members of the two major Palestinian parties, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), and the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Fatah movement.
BBC reporter released; two journalists remain in detention
New York, June 6, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of a BBC reporter held without charge by the Gambia’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA), but is alarmed by the continued detention of two other journalists. Lamin Cham was freed on Friday, sources told CPJ. He was arrested May 30 and held incommunicado as…