2013
Malawian minister assaults broadcast journalist
Bodyguards for Economic, Planning and Development Minister Ralph Jooma assaulted Raphael Mlozoa, journalist for the private Zodiak Broadcasting Station, on August 25, 2013, in the southern town of Mangochi, according to news reports. The minister accused Mlozoa of false reporting and ordered his security staff to confront Mlozoa, the reports said.
CPJ troubled by reports NSA spied on Al-Jazeera
New York, September 1, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by a report by Der Spiegel saying the United States’ National Security Agency (NSA) accessed Al Jazeera’s internal communications. Citing documents from former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden, Der Spiegel reported that the NSA hacked into the network’s internal communications system.
Sirleaf urged to reform libel laws, free Rodney Sieh
Dear President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: We call on you to decriminalize defamation; adopt monetary damages for libel commensurate with the harm done and within limits Liberians can afford; and halt the incarceration of defendants unable to pay, which is highly unusual in civil cases. We urge you to facilitate the release of jailed journalist Rodney Sieh and the reopening of his newspaper, FrontPageAfrica.
Egypt bans Al-Jazeera, detains journalists, raids outlets
New York, August 30, 2013–Egyptian security forces continue to detain and harass journalists working for news outlets critical of the military-led government, particularly Al-Jazeera and its affiliates. Journalists also still face physical threats from protesters, as tensions persist between the government and supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.
A fine and shifting line for Pakistan’s media
The government of Balochistan, the troubled southwestern province of Pakistan, registered a case against national television news channel ARY on Monday, August 26, after it aired a video clip of the destruction of the residence of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammed Ali Jinnah. The case was filed under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorist Act of 1997, claiming that airing the…
Radio commentator shot dead in Philippines
Bangkok, August 30, 2013–A radio commentator was shot dead in Iligan City on Thursday, the fourth journalist to be murdered in the Philippines in the past month. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities to investigate the murder of Fernando “Nanding” Solijon and swiftly bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice.
Tunisian journalist jailed for filming attack on official
New York, August 29, 2013–Tunisian authorities should release a journalist and drop charges against him for allegedly conspiring to commit violence against a government official, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Mourad Meherzi, a photographer for the local online TV channel Astrolabe, could face up to five years in jail, according to news reports.
News from the Committee to Protect Journalists, August 2013
A sad landmark for CPJ: 1,000 journalists killed When Mick Deane was killed in Egypt on August 14, he became the 1,000th journalist documented by CPJ as having died in direct relation to his work. Some died in the crossfire of combat or civil unrest, but most were targeted for murder. In 1992, CPJ began…
News outlets, Twitter targeted in alleged cyberattacks
New York, August 28, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by cyber-attacks on several websites on Tuesday, including The New York Times, whose site was disabled for several hours. The Syrian Electronic Army (SEA), a group of hackers who support President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, took credit for the attack via its Twitter account.…