2007
Human Rights Watch executive denied entry visa
New York, February 20, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by Russia’s failure to issue an entry visa to Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director Kenneth Roth. Roth intended to travel to Russia on Tuesday to hold a press conference to present his group’s report on obstacles nongovernmental organizations face in the region. This…
CPJ concerned about the health of jailed independent journalist in Cuba
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about a report of deteriorating health of independent journalist Alfredo Pulido López, who has been imprisoned in Cuba for almost four years. Pulido López, 46, is suffering from serious breathing and stomach ailments, his wife Rebeca Rodríguez Souto told CPJ.
In Mozambique, court upholds conviction of Carlos Cardoso’s killers
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes this week’s ruling by a Mozambican court to reject the appeals of six hired killers of leading investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso. Cardoso was gunned down on November 22, 2000, while investigating the 1996 embezzlement of US$14 million from the state-controlled Commercial Bank of Mozambique (BCM).
In the Philippines, sedition charges against three journalists
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the government of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to drop sedition charges against critical The Daily Tribune publisher and two columnists. In its February 14 case against publisher Ninez Cacho-Olivares and columnists Ramon Señeres and Herman Tiu-Laurel, the government said their writing could “lead…
In Sri Lanka, Tamil freelance journalist missing in Jaffna
New York, February 16, 2007—A correspondent for two Jaffna-based dailies, Yarl Thinakkural and Valampuri, has been missing since Thursday evening after he failed to return to his home in the region of Vadamaradchi during a curfew. His father filed a report with police, who said they are investigating the disappearance, according to local media advocates…
Court targets Web site over bank documents
UNITED STATES: February 15, 2008 Wikileaks CENSORED A federal judge in San Francisco ordered a California-based, domain name registry firm, Dynadot, to effectively shut down the Web site, Wikileaks.org, after the site posted documents concerning a bank in the Cayman Islands. Judge Jeffrey S. White later that day narrowed the injunction, ordering the removal of…
In United States, two journalists avoid jail in steroid case
New York, February 15, 2007—Two San Francisco Chronicle reporters will avoid going to jail after their source revealed himself in a criminal plea agreement. The reporters, Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada, had faced up to 18 months in prison for refusing to name the source who provided them with secret grand jury testimony about alleged…
In Venezuela, newspaper and humorist fined over satirical letter to Chávez’s daughter
New York, February 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists protests a Venezuelan court decision to fine the daily newspaper Tal Cual and humorist Laureano Márquez following a satirical letter addressed to President Hugo Chávez Frías’ daughter. On February 13, a juvenile court (the case was tried here because of the young age of Chávez’s daughter)…
NICARAGUA: Local officials threaten reporter with death
FEBRUARY 14, 2007 Posted February 21, 2007 William Aragón, La Prensa THREATENED Aragón, a correspondent in the northern Madriz province for the Managua-based daily La Prensa, received death threats from local government officials after reporting on local government corruption, the journalist told CPJ.