February 2018 - Page 2 of 7 - Committee to Protect Journalists

CPJ calls on Somaliland’s president to prioritize press freedom

February 26, 2018 9:38 AM EST

The Committee to Protect Journalists writes to the President of the Republic of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi urging him to free imprisoned journalists and ensure news outlets can operate freely.

Local news website in Ukraine torched, server attacked

February 23, 2018 3:44 PM EST

New York, February 23, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned last night’s arson attack on the independent, investigative news website Chetverta Vlada (Fourth Power) in Ukraine’s western city of Rivne.

Smoke from an air raid rises in the besieged town of Douma, Eastern Ghouta, Damascus, Syria on February 23, 2018. Abdul Rahman Ismael Yassin, a reporter for the pro-opposition Hammouriyeh Media Office, died from injuries sustained in a February 20 airstrike in eastern Ghouta, according to reports. (Reuters/Bassam Khabieh)

Syrian journalist killed in airstrike in eastern Ghouta

February 23, 2018 11:54 AM EST

Beirut, February 23, 2018–Abdul Rahman Ismael Yassin, a reporter for the pro-opposition Hammouriyeh Media Office, died from injuries sustained in a February 20 airstrike in the rebel-held eastern Ghouta area outside of Damascus, according to his employer and the Syrian Journalists Association.

A man inspects a damaged house in the besieged town of Douma in eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, on February 22, 2018. Eastern Ghouta has been under constant shelling, airstrikes, and rocket fire from al-Assad forces and their allies since February 18, 2018 to the date of publication, according to news reports. (Reuters/Bassam Khabieh)

Syrian media worker injured in rocket attack in eastern Ghouta

February 22, 2018 3:43 PM EST

Maher Abdelaziz, an engineer for the pro-opposition channel Orient TV, was injured in a rocket attack on February 19, 2018, in the rebel-held eastern Ghouta area outside of Damascus, according to his employer and the Syrian Journalists Association.

A passenger uses his smartphone as he waits for the train at a subway station in Istanbul, Turkey in June 2017. Turkey's parliament on February 21, 2018, approved an article of a bill that, if made into law, would give new censorship powers to state regulators. (Reuters/Murad Sezer)

In Turkey, draft bill would give new censorship powers to state regulator

February 22, 2018 2:55 PM EST

Istanbul, February 22, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Turkish authorities to scrap the article of a draft bill that would expand internet censorship in Turkey. The Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission yesterday passed article 73 of the bill, which would require online broadcasters, including YouTube and Netflix Turkey, to be licensed and regulated…

People take souvenir photos along the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey in February 2018. Turkey continues to crackdown on the press; a Turkish court sentenced four journalists to life without parole on February 16, 2018, on charges relating to their journalistic activity. (Reuters/Osman Orsal)

Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of February 19, 2018

February 22, 2018 2:09 PM EST

Journalists acquitted, released Turkish authorities on February 17 released from jail Deniz Yücel, Turkey correspondent for the German newspaper Die Welt, who had been imprisoned for a year pending investigation, according to Reuters. A Turkish court on the same day also indicted Yücel on charges of “propagandizing for a [terrorist] organization” and “provoking the people…

Members of the European Parliament called on European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans, pictured, to introduce a directive against abuse of lawsuits to silence critical journalists. (Reuters)

CPJ welcomes call for EU directive against SLAPPs

February 22, 2018 10:08 AM EST

Brussels, February 22, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed a call from members of the European Parliament on Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans to introduce a new European Union directive to stop abusive lawsuits against critical journalists.

People wave flags as soldiers and other military personnel of Somalia's breakaway territory of Somaliland march past during an Independence day celebration parade in the capital, Hargeisa on May 18, 2016. Somaliland authorities detained journalist Mohamed Aabi Digaale on February 17, 2018. (Mohamed Abdiwahab/AFP)

Somaliland journalist detained without charge

February 21, 2018 3:34 PM EST

Nairobi, February 21, 2018–Somaliland authorities should immediately release Mohamed Aabi Digaale, the Hargeisa bureau chief for the London-based broadcaster Universal TV, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police arrested Mohamed on February 17 and have been holding him without charge, Guleid Ahmed Jama, chairperson of the advocacy organization Human Rights Center, and Abdullahi Hersi…

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, center, before he addresses Filipino Muslim leaders during a reception at the Presidential Palace to celebrate the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan in June 2017. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told local media the government decided to ban Rappler from covering official presidential events because Duterte had

Philippines bans Rappler reporters from presidential palace

February 21, 2018 11:30 AM EST

Bangkok, February 21, 2018 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Philippine government’s decision to ban the news website Rappler from covering official presidential events, and calls for an immediate end to all government harassment of the independent online publication.

Benin suspends local paper for insulting president

February 20, 2018 5:29 PM EST

Benin’s media regulator, the High Authority for Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC), ordered the privately owned daily L’Audace Info on February 8, 2018 to suspend indefinitely its print and online editions after it allegedly insulted the president, the paper’s editor, Romuald Alingo, told CPJ.