2008
Olympics: IOC says Internet access ‘on the table’
Facing massive outcry over Internet restrictions at the Olympic press center, the International Olympic Committee says it met today with Beijing organizers and that “the issues were put on the table.” In a statement issued this afternoon, the IOC says it has not made any deal that allows Internet restrictions to be imposed at the Main…
UPDATED: Jailed Cuban journalist grows desperate
On July 18, Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta went on a hunger strike to demand better prison conditions. Three days later, he sewed his mouth shut to intensify his protest. This is not the first time that Herrera Acosta has self-mutilated in order to garner attention for his plight.
Olympics-Chinese Media Watch: Fading memories of a recent disaster
With the Olympics preparations crowding the headlines, news related to the deadly May earthquake in Sichuan province has faded. There is still plenty to report, including the recovery effort and the bitter resentment of grieving parents who believe that faulty construction played a role in their children’s deaths. But a search of recent Chinese news on the quake…
Senator calls for Gambian journalist’s release
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) said he wanted to focus his colleagues’ attention on a tragic story in a small West African nation. Chief Ebrima Manneh is a reporter in the Gambia for the state-controlled Daily Observer newspaper. He was arrested by two plainclothes officers from the country’s National Intelligence Agency at the newspaper’s office building…
News Wrap for 7/31/08
The fallout continues from yesterday’s revelation that China will not honor its promise to have unfettered Internet access. Sally Jean Kearney has a blog post about the issue on The Huffington Post this morning and Bloomberg updates their coverage as well with a news item called “Beijing Censorship ‘Betrays’ Olympic Values.” The Toronto Star is…
IOC meetings on Internet access must be followed through with action
New York, July 31, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists is encouraged by the International Olympic Committee’s statement today that it has met with organizers of the Beijing Games about Internet censorship at the Main Press Center and that “the issues are on the table.” But CPJ urged the IOC to continue to pursue all avenues…
In Colombia, CPJ rejects criminal defamation suit against Alfredo Molano
We issued the following statement today after learning that a criminal defamation suit had been brought against Colombian writer and journalist Alfredo Molano:”We are alarmed by the criminal defamation suit brought by a politically influential family against Alfredo Molano over a column in the daily El Espectador,” said Carlos Lauria, CPJ’s Americas senior program coordinator.…
Olympics-Chinese Media Watch: Checkpoints at Tiananmen and online
Chinese President Hu Jintao yesterday stressed the importance of a secure Olympics, calling the responsibility as heavy as Mount Tai. But while Chinese media today reported on the new checkpoints guarding access to Tiananmen Square, no mention was made of a security measure on the minds of many visiting journalists. Olympic officials today admitted that…
News Wrap for 7/30/08
China’s recent decision to reverse its pledge for open and uncensored Internet access during the upcoming Olympics is the topic of many stories around the world this morning.Agence France-Presse is running a wire story outlining the concerns surrounding the controversial policy switch. The First Post, a Web-only magazine based in the UK, has a short…
In Colombia, disguises heighten press risk
A couple of weeks ago, the Colombian government admitted that during a daring hostage rescue mission–code-named Operation Check–one of its soldiers had disguised himself as a member of the Red Cross. Then last week, Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia’s defense minister, divulged that two of the soldiers had taken on the mantle of journalists. One posed…