July 2012 - Page 5 of 9 - Committee to Protect Journalists

From left: Eskinder, Abebe Gellaw, Mesfin, Abiye, Fasil, and Abebe Belew.

Ethiopia sentences Eskinder, 5 others on terror charges

July 13, 2012 5:02 PM EDT

Nairobi, July 13, 2012–An Ethiopian court today handed down heavy prison sentences to six journalists convicted on vague terrorism charges, local journalists and news reports said. Award-winning blogger Eskinder Nega got an 18-year term; the others live in exile and were sentenced in absentia.

Internet law: a good bad example of Russia’s backsliding

July 13, 2012 3:16 PM EDT

Russia’s State Duma has passed a number of new laws in the past week, all seemingly aimed at reining in civil society and criticism of public figures. The bills would re-criminalize defamation and impose limits and labels on NGOs. They follow the introduction last month of excessive fines for unauthorized protests.

The Rocinha neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. Such neighborhoods, or favelas, have been risky for reporters. (AP/Felipe Dana)

Bossa Nova’s home and Olympics host is risky for press

July 13, 2012 3:14 PM EDT

The jagged mountains ringing Rio de Janeiro descend to a temperate valley with two storied beaches on the Atlantic. Here is the city that gave the world a new, eclectic musical beat with the Bossa Nova, the South American jewel that will host the summer Olympic Games in 2016. Yet Rio has also been the…

Assailants target newspaper publisher Saouti Labass Haïdara. (Le Challenger)

In Mali, masked gunmen seize, assault publisher

July 13, 2012 3:07 PM EDT

Abuja, Nigeria, July 13, 2012–Armed, masked assailants abducted and beat a veteran journalist in Mali on Thursday, leaving him with a broken hand and other injuries, according to news reports and local journalists.

Maldives media offer first-hand accounts

July 13, 2012 1:36 PM EDT

Violent clashes between police and opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protesters continued in the streets of the capital, Malé, on Thursday night, according to international news reports. You can read CPJ’s news alert on journalists swept up in the unrest–and background on the demonstrations–here, and some lively discussion on the situation here.

Eskinder Nega sentenced to heavy prison term

July 13, 2012 9:26 AM EDT

New York, July 13, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the harsh prison sentences issued by Ethiopia’s High Court today for blogger Eskinder Nega and five independent journalists on vague and politically motivated terrorism charges.

MDP supporters demonstrate at a rally in Male in February. (AFP)

At least four journalists attacked in Maldives protests

July 12, 2012 5:12 PM EDT

New York, July 12, 2012–Authorities in the Maldives must ensure journalists are able to cover ongoing political demonstrations in the country without fear of being attacked, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

News coverage of economic sanctions barred by Iran

July 12, 2012 4:30 PM EDT

New York, July 12, 2012–Iranian authorities have issued new censorship guidelines barring domestic news outlets from reporting on the impact of Western economic sanctions, local and international news outlets reported Wednesday. And, with at least three imprisonments reported, the government is continuing its years-long anti-press campaign.

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, right, has said stamping out corruption is a priority. (Reuters//Vladimir Pirogov)

A litmus test for Kyrgyzstan’s anti-corruption campaign

July 12, 2012 1:03 PM EDT

Campaigners from local rights activists to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay are urging Kyrgyz authorities to review the case of Azimjon Askarov, an investigative reporter and human rights activist serving a life sentence in Kyrgyzstan.

Russian lawmakers attend a session of the lower house of parliament on July 6, 2012. (AP/Misha Japaridze)

Russian parliament votes to recriminalize defamation

July 11, 2012 5:32 PM EDT

New York, July 11, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned over Russia’s moves to return defamation to the criminal code, and calls on the parliament to reject the restrictive bill on its second reading.