2013
In letter from Turkish jail, journalist describes ordeal
In a letter she passed from Gebze women’s prison outside Istanbul, Fusün Erdoğan, founder and director of the leftist broadcaster Özgür Radyo, details circumstances of her arrest, imprisonment, and politicized criminal charges. Erdoğan founded the broadcaster in 1995, and worked as its director until September 8, 2006–the day when plainclothes police agents detained her in…
CPJ condemns attack on pregnant Indonesian reporter
New York, March 5, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns an attack on Saturday against a pregnant journalist covering a land dispute in East Kalimantan province, Indonesia. CPJ calls on authorities to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation that leads to the apprehension of all those who participated in the brutal assault, which the journalist said…
CPJ welcomes release of journalist in Syria
New York, March 5, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of freelance journalist Billy Six, held by Syrian authorities for two and a half months. Syrian authorities handed Six over to Russian diplomats today who helped him leave the country. “We are relieved that Billy Six has been released safely and can return…
Iran arrests another journalist in campaign against the press
New York, March 4, 2013–Iranian authorities arrested another journalist this weekend as part of a broad crackdown aimed at intimidating the press before Iran’s presidential election in June. Mohammad Javad Rouh, editor for the reformist monthly magazine Mehrnameh, was arrested in his home in Tehran on Sunday, according to news reports.
Somali appellate court upholds journalist’s conviction
Nairobi, March 4, 2013–Sunday’s decision by an appellate court in Mogadishu to uphold the conviction of a freelance Somali journalist in connection with his interview of a reported rape victim prolongs a miscarriage of justice and is a direct assault on press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Nigerian broadcast regulator closes down radio station
New York, March 4, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a decision by Nigeria’s media regulatory body to shut down a radio station in connection with a broadcast that questioned the local government’s motives in an anti-polio vaccination program.
Israel extends detention of Palestinian cartoonist again
A military court in the city of Ashkelon extended the detention of Mohammad Saba’aneh, a Palestinian cartoonist for Al-Hayat al-Jadida, on February 28, 2013, for a second time, according to news reports. His detention was extended for eight days, Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported citing the cartoonist’s lawyer.