2007
Independent journalist receives death threat in Ukraine
New York, March 19, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a death threat made by a local businessman against independent bi-weekly Rivne Vechirne reporter Vlad Isayev for his critical articles. Isayev was threatened as he covered a dispute between local businessman Anatoly Pekhotin and the owners of a private parking lot in the…
SOMALIA: Journalist freed after being held incommunicado for nine days
UPDATE March 18, 2007 Original Alert: January 14, 2007 Hassan Sade Dhaqane, HornAfrik radio IMPRISONED Dhaqane, a reporter of private HornAfrik radio, was released without charge after being held incommunicado by security forces of Somalia’s transitional federal government for nine days, local journalists told CPJ. Local media organized to demand his release, they said.
ZIMBABWE: Reporter trainee detained, fired for asking questions
MARCH 17, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 Tapiwa Chininga, New Zimbabwe Inter-Africa News Agency HARASSED, LEGAL Chininga, a reporter-in-training for the state New Zimbabwe Inter-Africa News Agency, was arrested after seeking comments from police officials about a security crackdown following a March 11 opposition rally in the capital Harare, according to news reports.
In Chad, journalist convicted of defamation
New York, March 16, 2007— A court in the capital N’Djamena sentenced on Tuesday a journalist to a six-month suspended prison term and damages on criminal defamation charges over a May 2006 story alleging corruption by a Catholic priest, according to press freedom group Journaliste en Danger (JED) and news reports. Director Adji Moussa of…
In Afghanistan, new demands for abducted journalist after driver was killed
NEW YORK, March 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a report that kidnappers of La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo have killed his Afghan driver and made additional demands for his release. According to the Pajhwok Afghan News agency, the country’s largest independent wire service, Mastrogiacomo’s driver Sayed Agha was killed for “spying…
Exiled Burmese journalist arrives in United States
New York, March 16, 2007—Fleeing death threats, Burmese journalist Maung Maung Kyaw Win, 58, and his family arrived this week in the United States with assistance from the Committee to Protect Journalists and other colleagues. “Even though I am really happy to be here, the media is still being held hostage and the military junta…
Pakistani police raid Geo TV; president later apologizes
New York, March 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Pakistani government to appoint an independent judicial commission to investigate and report on today’s outrageous assault by uniformed police on the offices of Geo TV and the Daily Jang in Islamabad. Riot police used tear gas and batons as they swept through the…
In Somaliland, a journalist detained for two days
MARCH 15, 2007 Posted March 28, 2007 Abdul-Qani Ahmed Askar, freelance HARASSED Askar, a freelance reporter with the private Geeska Afrika and the leading independent daily Haatuf, was arrested by police on the orders of the state prosecutor, according to local journalists.
On 4th anniversary of Iraq conflict, press marks deadliest toll
New York, March 15, 2007—Four years after the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein, Iraq remains the deadliest country in the world for the press as local journalists continue to suffer disproportionately from the violence, research by the Committee to Protect Journalists shows. A total of 97 journalists and 37 media support staffers have been…
In Senegal, journalists given suspended prison term and heavy fine
New York, March 15, 2007— A court in the capital Dakar has sentenced two journalists to suspended prison terms and heavy damages on criminal defamation charges related to a June 2006 story on a consumer complaint against a car dealership, according to local journalists and news reports. Director Jean Meïssa Diop and reporter Faydy Dramé…