2007
In U.S., concern about jailed Al-Jazeera cameraman’s health
New York, February 28, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about reports that an Al-Jazeera cameraman detained for nearly five years without charge at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been on hunger strike over the last 48 days and that he may be in failing health.
Tunisian Internet writer still jailed after two years
New York, February 28, 2007—The Committee to Protect to Journalists today called on Tunisia to free an Internet writer jailed two years ago for Web articles that criticized President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and described torture in Tunisian prisons. Secret police in Tunis arrested Mohamed Abbou, a human rights lawyer and contributor to the…
Stories critical of president trigger charges
New York, February 28, 2007—Stories critical of President Laurent Gbagbo led authorities this week to charge four journalists working for two private newspapers in the commercial capital, Abidjan, with offending the head of state, according to news reports and local journalists. “We are concerned by this apparent crackdown on critical reporting,” said CPJ Executive Director…
Reporters stranded at airport for two days, harassed
RUSSIA: New York, February 28, 2008—Security guards at Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow continued to hold Natalya Morar and her husband Ilya Barabanov, both reporters with the independent newsweekly The New Times, for a second consecutive day. Authorities have denied Morar access to her lawyer while pressuring her to buy a return ticket to her…
IDF detains TV director, attacks journalists during Nablus raid
New York, February 27, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) arrest of a local television director and harassment of several journalists during a military operation in the West Bank city of Nablus. At around 3:00 a.m. on February 26, Israeli soldiers detained Nabegh Break, owner and managing…
In DRC, journalist sentenced to prison
New York, February 27, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a three-month prison sentence and heavy damages handed down by a court in the southeastern city of Boma against a journalist over a story alleging corruption by the municipal treasury. Popol Ntula Vita, a correspondent at the private weekly La Cité Africaine in the…
Iraqi editor reported missing in Baghdad
New York, February 26, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about the safety of an Iraqi newspaper editor who disappeared in central Baghdad on Saturday. Jamal al-Zubaidi, 56, an economics editor for the Baghdad-based dailies As-Saffir and Al-Dustour, was last seen leaving As-Saffir’s offices in the central Karada neighborhood around 1 p.m. on…
Two Bangladeshi TV stations off-air after fatal fire
New York, February 26, 2007—At least three people were killed and more than 100 people were injured today as a fire tore through a Dhaka office building housing private television stations NTV and RTV and Bengali-language newspaper Amar Desh. The cause of the fire was unclear. The two news channels were off the air this…
ZIMBABWE: Journalists fined under repressive law
FEBRUARY 24, 2007 Posted March 21, 2007 Peter Moyo, E.TV HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION Moyo, a producer of the private South Africa-based E.TV, was convicted of violating Zimbabwe’s Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and fined 4,000 Zimbabwean dollars (US$16) by a court in the eastern city of Mutare, according to the Media…