2017
Islamic State recedes but threats to journalists in Iraq and Syria remain
After three years of fighting in Iraq and Syria, the militant group Islamic State has been forced out of large swathes of territory. But local journalists and press freedom groups with whom CPJ spoke said that the defeat of Islamic State doesn’t necessarily mean that journalists will be any safer.
Broadcaster NRT closed, KNN journalists assaulted amid protests in Iraqi Kurdistan
Beirut, December 20, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the closure of an independent television broadcaster by the Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq, and attacks on journalists covering anti-austerity protests held yesterday in the same region.
Somaliland journalists detained, accused of “false news”
Nairobi, December 20, 2017 – Somaliland authorities should immediately release Ahmed Sa’ed and Abdirahman Mohamed Ege, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police on December 18 arrested the Somali journalists on allegations of publishing false news about the mayor of Berbera, a port city in the semi-autonomous region of Somaliland, according to Guleid Ahmed…
Somaliland journalist detained without charge over false news claim
Police in Gabiley arrested Abdirisak Dayib Ali on December 5, 2017 for allegedly publishing a false report on the news website Gabiley News earlier that month, according to his lawyer, Guleid Ahmed Jama, and Mohamud Abdi Jama, chair of the Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA).
Colombian mayor threatens, shoots at local journalist
Bogotá, Colombia, December 19, 2017 – Colombian authorities should immediately suspend the mayor of a town in northern Colombia, and undertake a swift and credible investigation into reports that he threatened and shot at a local radio journalist, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Finnish police search journalist’s home following article on intelligence monitoring
Brussels, December 19, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Finnish authorities not to take action that could limit the flow of information to the public. Finnish police on December 17 searched the Helsinki home of journalist Laura Halminen, who had recently co-authored an article about a classified intelligence monitoring program, according to news…
Iraq’s Al-Anbar Governor orders TV station to close
Beirut, December 18, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Iraqi regional authorities to reverse their decision to close the independent TV satellite channel Al-Sharqiya’s Al-Anbar offices, and allow the channel to operate freely in the area.
CPJ to release annual list on killed journalists
New York, December 15, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists will release its annual report on journalists killed in relation to their work.CPJ’s report includes a comprehensive catalog of journalists worldwide who were killed in connection to their work. A breakdown of the cases by country, medium, gender, freelancers, and the number of local versus international…
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of December 11, 2017
Media workers released An Istanbul court on December 8 ordered three employees from the advertisement department of the now shuttered daily Zaman–Hüseyin Belli, Onur Kutlu and İsmail Küçük–to be freed pending trial, the English-language news blog Turkish Minute reported. The three are part of a trial that started in September 2017 which, as CPJ previously…
Journalists assaulted covering protests in Jerusalem
At least 13 journalists were injured while covering protests and violence that broke out in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem over U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on December 7, 2017 that the U.S. will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, according to local and regional press freedom groups and news reports. At least…