2006
Third journalist from leading newspaper arrested
New York, April 12, 2006—A third journalist from The Independent, a leading Gambian newspaper, was arrested at his home this afternoon, according to his colleagues. Reporter Lamin Fatty’s arrest follows that of Editor Musa Saidykhan and General Manager Madi Ceesay, who have been detained without charge since March 28. Fatty was the author of a…
China: Writer Li Jianping tried for online pro-democracy articles
New York, April 12, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the prosecution of Internet writer Li Jianping on charges of “inciting subversion” for articles criticizing Communist Party leaders and Chinese government actions. Li was tried today in a proceeding that lasted less than three hours, according to Agence France-Presse. “How can China, one…
Suspect in journalist murder granted medical release
Updated: April 11, 2006 Original case: July 14, 2005 Jacques Roche, Le Matin KILLED—UNCONFIRMED Rev. Gérard Jean-Juste was granted a temporary release from prison on January 30 to receive medical treatment for leukemia. He was accused of involvement in the 2005 murder of Jacques Roche, a well-known Haitian journalist.
Newspaper directors attacked
APRIL 11, 2006 Francisco Rivera, Noticia de Michoacán ATTACKED, THREATENED APRIL 20, 2006 Rafael Rivera Millán, Gente del Balsa ATTACKED, THREATENED Rivera and Rivera Millán, directors of the local dailies, were attacked nine days apart by members of the Sicartsa Miners and Steelworkers Union while covering protests in the western city of Lázaro Cárdenas.
Newspaper director convicted on defamation, slander charges
APRIL 11, 2006 Posted: May, 05 Ada Mireya Zurita, El Siglo LEGAL ACTION A judge decision convicted Zurita, director of the Maracay-based daily El Siglo, on criminal charges of defamation and slander. Judge Verónica Castro gave Zurita an 18-month suspended sentence and ordered her to pay legal fees to the plaintiff, Terry Rojas, chief of…
Charges dropped against 4 of 5 columnists
New York, April 11, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes a Turkish court ruling today to drop charges against four prominent newspaper columnists but deplores the decision to continue with the trial of a fifth. All five writers were charged over comments they made about an Istanbul conference last September on the killing of Armenians…
Two other journalists freed after weeks in prison
New York, April 11, 2006–The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about newspaper publisher Patrice Booto, who has been in jail in the capital, Kinshasa, since November 2, 2005. Booto recently told a representative of Journaliste en Danger (JED), a Kinshasa-based press freedom organization, that he was suffering from several health problems and had…
Third journalist from leading newspaper arrested
New York, April 12, 2006—A third journalist from The Independent, a leading Gambian newspaper, was arrested at his home this afternoon, according to his colleagues. Reporter Lamin Fatty’s arrest follows that of Editor Musa Saidykhan and General Manager Madi Ceesay, who have been detained without charge since March 28. Fatty was the author of a…
Pakistan: CPJ calls on Pakistani and U.S. authorities to reveal all information about missing journalist
New York, April 11, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on U.S. and Pakistani authorities to reveal all information they have on abducted Pakistani journalist Hayatullah Khan after his brother claimed he was being held by the United States. Khan was seized by unidentified gunmen in the lawless North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan…
Russian reporters death prompts questions among family, colleagues
New York, April 11, 2006—Family and colleagues of Russian journalist Vagif Kochetkov, a 31-year-old who died in January from injuries suffered in an attack the month before, are raising questions about the motive for the assault and local prosecutors’ conclusion that it stemmed from a robbery, according to local press reports. Kochetkov, who died on…