2018
CPJ joins calls for Kazakhstan to revise false news law and drop charges against critical media
The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined a coalition of 25 other international press freedom organizations to call on Kazakh authorities to drop criminal defamation cases against media outlets Forbes Kazakhstan and Ratel and revise the law on dissemination of “false information” often used to silence critical media outlets and journalists.
CPJ welcomes positive development in Kyrgyzstan, calls for Askarov’s release
New York, May 18, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev’s decision to drop defamation charges he pressed last year against independent news website Zanoza and its journalists Naryn Idinov and Dina Maslova, and urged the country’s new administration to release Azimjon Askarov, a Kyrgyz journalist jailed since 2010.
Unknown gunmen kill Syrian journalist in eastern Daraa
Beirut, May 18, 2018–Two unknown gunmen killed Ibrahim al-Munjar, a correspondent for the Syrian news website Sy24 in the southern Syrian province of Daraa. Al-Munjar was killed in the city of Saida on May 17, according to his employer, news reports, and the Syrian Journalists Association.
Two Chinese journalists attacked in Henan Province
Assailants on May 13, 2018, attacked Hu Xiaoli and Yu Tao, the host and cameraperson, respectively, of a local television show, “Xiaoli’s Here to Help,” as they were filming for a story about a real estate dispute in Henan province’s Kaifeng City, according to the state-owned news website China News Service and the Weibo account…
Puntland authorities detain journalist without charge
Nairobi, May 18, 2018–Authorities in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia, should immediately release journalist Ibrahim Obo Daud, also known as Suldan Godogodo, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Ibrahim was arrested on May 4 in Garowe, the administrative capital of Puntland, according to Media Association of Puntland (MAP) chairman Mohamed Dahir and Bashir…
Greater transparency welcome but social media sites should allow independent audits of content takedowns
In recent days, some of the world’s largest tech companies released new transparency reports, opened up their content moderation guidelines, and adopted approaches to fighting pernicious content as they tried to head off government regulation amid concerns about “fake news,” harassment, terrorism and other ills proliferating on their platforms.
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of May 14, 2018
Journalists imprisoned Turkish authorities in the western province of Edirne on May 11 transferred Kemal Sancılı, the publisher of the shuttered pro-Kurdish daily Özgür Gündem, to Istanbul’s Silivri Prison, two days after he was detained on suspicion of terrorism-related activities, according to a report from the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya Agency. —
Covering LGBTQ issues brings risk of threats and retaliation for journalists and their sources
To mark the annual International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, CPJ spoke with journalists and news outlets based in Argentina, Iran, Indonesia, the U.S., Uganda, and Russia, about the challenges they face reporting on LGBTQ issues.
Slovak police seize Czech investigative reporter’s phone
Berlin, May 16, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Slovak authorities to respect the confidentiality of journalistic sources. Slovak police in Bratislava yesterday seized the mobile phone of Czech investigative reporter Pavla Holcova while questioning her for their investigation into the murder of her colleague, Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak, and his girlfriend, the…
