2006
CPJ condemns dropped charges in Zongo case
New York, July 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the decision of a judge in Burkina Faso to drop charges against the only suspect in the 1998 murder of a journalist probing criminal allegations against the president’s family. Prosecutors said yesterday an examining magistrate had granted their request to drop the case…
Indonesia detains online news editor over prophet drawings
New York, July 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the detention of Teguh Santosa, chief editor of Rakyat Merdeka Online, for posting cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohammad. Indonesian police on July 19 detained Santosa after questioning him for three hours about his role in the posting of three controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet…
CPJ concerned about jailed journalist’s deteriorating health
New York, July 19, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the worsening heath of journalist Sakit Zakhidov, who is being held on drug possession charges that local press freedom activists and independent journalists say are fabricated. Sakit Zakhidov, a prominent reporter and satirist for the Baku-based daily opposition newspaper Azadliq has been in…
Malaysia: Government cracks down on popular radio program
New York, July 19, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Malaysian government’s interference with Ai FM’s radio program “The Mic is On, With Love, Without Obstacles” for freely airing listeners’ views about a controversial government order that affected Chinese-language schools. The Ministry of Information on June 24 ordered the Chinese-language program to restructure its…
Government ban on Web sites draws concern
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by the government’s recent order to ban certain Web sites, an action that has resulted in blocked access to domains hosting many thousands of Web logs. We urge you to lift the ban, which has disrupted the flow of news, information, and commentary in a medium of growing importance in India. We are concerned as well that the order was imposed with no official explanation and without judicial or independent review.
Newspaper suspended for two months
July 19, 2006 Posted August 1, 2006 La Croisade CENSORED Guinea’s National Communications Council (known as the CNC) suspended La Croisade, a private publication published in the capital, Conakry, for two months starting on July 19. According to local journalists and the Media Foundation for West Africa, the suspension stemmed from an article linking the…
Court fines opposition weekly
JULY 12, 2006 Ali Saqqaf, Al-Wahdawi LEGAL ACTION A court in the capital Sana’a ordered the opposition weekly Al-Wahdawi to pay 500,000 riyals (US$2,550) in compensation to the Ministry of Defense, fined the paper 50,000 riyals (US$255) and banned Editor-in-Chief Ali Saqqaf from practicing journalism for six months.
Death threats against journalist after drug trafficking report
New York, July 18, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges authorities in Paraguay to investigate death threats against a journalist covering drug trafficking in an area where another journalist disappeared more than five months ago. Luis Alcides Ruiz Díaz of the weekly Hechos received an anonymous text message Saturday warning him about his reporting, the…
Philippines: Radio broadcaster killed in Mindanao
New York, July 18, 2006—Two unidentified gunmen killed broadcaster Armando Pace as he returned home today after hosting his radio program in the city of Digos on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating to determine whether he was killed in relation to his work. Pace, 51, was shot…