2008
In Mexico, CPJ urges authorities to investigate editor’s murder
We issued the following statement in response to the murder of Mexican reporter Miguel Angel Villagómez, editor of the newspaper La Noticia in the state of Michoacán, whose bullet-ridden body was found today in the neighboring state of Guerrero, according to press reports. “We mourn the death of our colleague Miguel Angel Villagómez and urge…
Press freedom in the news 10/10/08
The Associated Press has coverage today of the detention of two journalists working for the Jordan Times who had been detained by Syrian officials when they tried to enter the country from Lebanon. The Wall Street Journal is also running the AP story. Also today the Web site of the Philippine newspaper The Mindanao Examiner…
U.S. journalists, thought missing, are held by Syrian officials
New York, October 9, 2008–Two U.S. journalists missing since October 1 are being held in Syria in connection with visa issues, several news organizations reported today. The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today that Holli Chmela, 27, and Taylor Luck, 23, were arrested when they entered Syria without visas, news reports said.
Two American journalists missing
New York, October 8, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned for the safety of two American journalists on vacation in Lebanon who have not been heard from since October 1. Holli Chmela, 27, who had just finished an internship at The Jordan Times, and Taylor Luck, 23, a staff writer at the paper, had…
From the Family of Holli Chmela
CPJ is concerned for the safety of two American journalists, Holli Chmela, 27, and Taylor Luck, 23, who are reported missing in Lebanon. The Chmela family issued the following statement tonight. We are hoping and praying for the safe return of our children, Taylor Luck and Holli Chmela. We wish to thank the State Department and FBI…
State Department replies to CPJ on Tunisia
As we noted in a recent special report, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali relies on spying and intimidation to keep his citizens in line. The United States has been a friend and supporter of Ben Ali and not at all consistent in calling attention to ongoing human rights abuses, particularly the harassment, intimidation,…
CPJ welcomes release of Moussa Kaka
New York, October 7, 2008–The Committee to Protect Jounalists welcomes today’s provisional release of veteran Nigerien journalist Moussa Kaka after more than a year behind bars on anti-state charges. An appeals court in the capital, Niamey, ordered Kaka’s release on bail pending trial by a magistrate court on amended charges of “undermining national territorial integrity…
Press freedom in the news 10/08/08
The Associated Press has coverage today of our letter to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expressing concern at the growing violence Venezuela. The Spanish-language Web site of Univision is also running the AP story. The South Africa-based Web site Daily Dispatch Online has a story today about the troubled Zimbabwe media. Also making news today is the institution of a telephone hotline to help endangered journalists in Iraq. Reuters has…
Two years without Anna
I met Anna Politkovskaya in person only once, in 2005. She was in New York to collect yet another journalism award, and stopped by CPJ one October afternoon. I remember her crossing the lobby with an even, determined step. She had an urgency about her–that rare focus that comes only with absolute clarity about one’s…
Press freedom in the news 10/07/08
The Web site of news channel France 24 is reporting that today, on the two-year anniversary of the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, more than 200 people gathered in Moscow for a vigil. The story cites our alert from yesterday that criticized Russia’s decision to try three men accused in the murder case in a military, rather than civilian, court. Web…