2007
In Mali, high school essay assignment lands journalist in prison
New York, June 15, 2007— A state prosecutor in Mali jailed a journalist for an article about a high school essay assignment in which the students were asked to write about a fictional sex scandal involving a president and his mistress. Seydina Oumar Diarra, an editor for the private daily newspaper Info-Matin, was questioned for…
Investigative reporter shot, wounded in Moscow
New York, June 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces the shooting of investigative reporter Andrei Kalitin, who had been working on a book alleging criminal dealings in Russia’s aluminum business. Kalitin, 37, was shot in the shoulder Wednesday evening as he was leaving his home to meet with a colleague, according to local media…
Police in Congo arrest suspects in journalist’s murder
New York, June 14, 2007— Police arrested two suspects today in the killing of a broadcaster for United Nations-sponsored Radio Okapi in the eastern border town of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the station’s journalists told CPJ. CPJ is investigating to determine whether Serge Maheshe was killed because of his work as a…
Oaxaca journalist shot and wounded
New York, June 13, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the shooting of a Mexican journalist who had received death threats in connection with his investigation of the slaying of a U.S. journalist during violent street protests last fall in the southern city of Oaxaca. Misael Sánchez Sarmiento, a reporter for the Oaxaca-based daily…
Managing editor of state-run daily abducted in Baghdad
New York, June 13, 2007—The managing editor of Iraq’s daily newspaper Al-Sabah was abducted by gunmen early today while on his way to work in Baghdad, the latest victim in a string of attacks against journalists working for the state-run media. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the kidnapping of Filaih Wuday Mijthab. Mijthab, 53,…
RUSSIA: Court orders Kommersant to pay damages to Chechen leader
JUNE 12, 2007 Posted June 26, 2007 Kommersant LEGAL ACTION On June 12, the Moscow City Court upheld an earlier verdict by Tverskoi District Court in Moscow and pronounced the independent business daily Kommersant guilty of defaming Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.
In Rwanda, government strips new journal’s license after first edition
New York, June 12, 2007—Rwanda’s Information Minister revoked the publication license of a newspaper without a required court order three days after the paper’s first edition. The Weekly Post, a privately owned, English-language weekly, did not publish this week after Information Minister Laurent Nkusi revoked its authorization, according to a copy of an official letter…
Journalists slain in a bloody week in Iraq
New York, June 1, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists mourns the slayings of four Iraqi journalists during an especially deadly week in the country. Nazar Abdulwahid al-Radhi, 38, a correspondent for the independent news agency Aswat al-Iraq and Radio Free Iraq, was gunned down in the southern city of Al-Amarah on Wednesday morning. Three men…
Journalist threatened after corruption report
JUNE 11, 2007 Posted June 26, 2007 Erica Guzmán, Hoy and Radio Popular THREATENED Guzmán, correspondent in the eastern city of Samaná for the national daily Hoy and the national station Radio Popular, told CPJ that her daughter received two anonymous calls threatening the journalist and her family with death after she reported on a…