2007
Nepal’s Birendra Shah is dead, Maoists say
New York, November 5, 2007—Maoist authorities issued a statement today confirming the murder of Nepalese journalist Birendra Shah on October 4, the day he was kidnapped, by members of their party, according to Guna Raj Luitel, news editor of Kantipur Daily in Kathmandu. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) had distanced itself from the murder,…
Abducted Iraqi reporter freed
New York, November 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the weekend release of Radio Free Iraq correspondent Jumana al-Obaidi, who was held by kidnappers for nearly two weeks. The station’s parent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), said al-Obaidi was abducted from a car while on her way to a scheduled assignment at the Iraqi…
In Iraqi Kurdistan, CPJ delegation highlights press freedom concerns
Arbil, Iraq, November 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists concluded a two-week fact-finding mission to Iraqi Kurdistan today by calling on Iraqi Kurdish leaders to investigate a spate of unsolved assaults on outspoken journalists, and by urging legislators to remove vague prohibitions from a press bill now before parliament.
Chandrasekaran, Sawyer, and Williams join CPJ board
New York, November 5, 2007–CPJ is pleased to welcome three leading journalists to its board of directors: Rajiv Chandrasekaran of The Washington Post, Diane Sawyer of ABC News, and Brian Williams of NBC News. “We are delighted to welcome these three exceptional journalists to our board of directors,” said CPJ Board Chair Paul E. Steiger.…
CPJ urges Musharraf to allow Pakistan’s media to operate freely
New York, November 4, 2007—The government of President Pervez Musharraf should withdraw the severe restrictions it has placed on Pakistan’s news media and allow independent television and radio stations to resume coverage of the country’s political crisis, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. “President Musharraf’s drastic steps to silence news coverage make a mockery…
In Malawi, government agency shuts fledgling television station
New York, November 2, 2007–State regulators in the commercial city of Blantyre summarily pulled off the air on Tuesday Malawi’s first private television station, citing an alleged regulatory violation, according to news reports and local journalists. The ruling, targeting a fledgling station close to opposition leader Bakili Muluzi in the lead-up to presidential polls in…
Journalists attacked at legislator’s home
November 1, 2007 Posted November 2, 2007 Prakash Singh, NDTV Habab Ali, NDTV Ajay Kumar, ANI ATTACKED Prakash Singh and at least two other journalists were assaulted in the central eastern state of Bihar, according to NDTV camera operator Anamitra Chakladar and local news reports.
CPJ delegation meets with Kyrgyz ambassadorCalls for justice in the murder of journalist
Washington, November 1, 2007—A delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists met with the Kyrgyz ambassador to the United States, Zamira Sydykova, today to express alarm at the murder of independent journalist Alisher Saipov in the southern city of Osh last week. “There are strong reasons to believe that Alisher Saipov was murdered because of…