Press freedom in the news 1/23/2009

Our alert released yesterday about the landmark decision to convict three Colombian officials in the 2003 murder of radio commentator José Emeterio Rivas is receiving coverage around the world today. The Associated Press has stories in both English and Spanish and the Swedish-language Medie Varlden newspaper has coverage.

The attack of another editor in Sri Lanka is also in the news today with Agence France-Presse covering the attack on Upali Tennakoon, editor-in-chief of Rivira, and his wife outside of Colombo. The Sydney Morning Herald is running the AFP story.

The Oakland Tribune, the paper of slain editor Chauncey Bailey, has an editorial today about the importance of press freedom in sustaining democracy as well as updates on the Chauncey Bailey Project. Bailey was killed in August of 2007 in connection with his investigative work on an alleged criminal organization.