March 2019 - Page 4 of 8 - Committee to Protect Journalists

Residents stand on rooftops in a flooded area of Buzi, central Mozambique, on March 20, 2019, after the passage of cyclone Idai. (AFP/Adrien Barbier)

CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Idai in Southern Africa

March 20, 2019 2:31 PM EDT

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall during the night of March 14 and 15 in the Sofala province of Mozambique. The storm continued inland, causing flooding across Mozambique and parts of Zimbabwe and Malawi. The port city of Beira, Mozambique’s fourth largest city, has been flattened and the humanitarian crisis is acute, according to news reports.…

Flowers cover the casket of Santiago Barroso, a Mexican radio journalist shot dead in Sonora state in March. (Reuters/Cristian Torres)

Radio reporter Santiago Barroso shot dead in Mexico’s Sonora state

March 19, 2019 7:04 PM EDT

Mexico City, March 19, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists today urged Mexican authorities to thoroughly investigate the murder of radio journalist Santiago Barroso and bring the perpetrators to justice. The reporter was shot dead at his home in San Luis Río Colorado, in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, on March 15, according to news…

Palestinian members of the Hamas security forces patrol in the town of Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, on March 22, 2018. Hamas detained at least 3 Palestinian journalists after Gaza cost-of-living protests in mid-March 2019. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Hamas detains at least 3 Palestinian journalists after Gaza cost-of-living protests

March 19, 2019 4:13 PM EDT

Beirut, March 19, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the detention of at least three Gazan journalists and called on authorities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to release them immediately.

Fathimath Shehenaz holds a sign outside the Malé parliament in February, calling for justice for her brother, the blogger Ahmed Rilwan, who was abducted in 2014. (CPJ)

Maldives commission renews hope of justice for Rilwan and Rasheed

March 18, 2019 6:00 PM EDT

Mission Journal: With a new presidential commission investigating the abduction of Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla and the murder of Yameen Rasheed, CPJ’s Asia program research associate Aliya Iftikhar travels to Malé in late February to speak with the bloggers’ families about their pursuit of justice, and with authorities about the progress and challenges in the cases.

CPJ and others request meeting with Sacramento police over treatment of journalists at protest

March 18, 2019 4:59 PM EDT

In a letter to Sacramento police chief Daniel Hahn, CPJ and several other rights organizations express concern about police conduct toward journalists covering protests on March 4, and request a meeting.

Police cordon off the area of a homicide in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on October 8, 2015. Honduran journalist Leonardo Gabriel Hernández was killed in Nacaome on March 17, 2019. (Jorge Cabrera/Reuters)

TV journalist Leonardo Gabriel Hernández shot dead in Honduras

March 18, 2019 4:35 PM EDT

Miami, March 18, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today urged Honduran authorities to immediately undertake a credible and rigorous investigation into the killing of journalist Leonardo Gabriel Hernández.

A photojournalist works in a Caracas hotel room during the third day of a massive power outage. Alongside power cuts, journalists must navigate internet blackouts imposed as Nicolás Maduro's government attempts to silence news of the opposition. (AFP/Juan Barreto)

Maduro’s internet blackout stifles news of Venezuela crisis

March 18, 2019 3:14 PM EDT

One of the world’s biggest news stories on March 4 was the daring return to Venezuela of opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaidó, who faced possible arrest by the authoritarian regime of Nicolás Maduro. But most Venezuelans were unable to follow his homecoming.

An Afghan police officer inspects vehicles at a checkpoint in Kabul on August 6, 2017. An Afghan journalist was recently killed when he was shot by two unidentified men in Khost. (Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)

Afghan journalist killed; Islamic State affiliate claims responsibility

March 18, 2019 1:40 PM EDT

New York, March 18, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the killing of Afghan journalist Sultan Mahmoud Khairkhwah and calls on authorities to investigate his killing and improve the safety of journalists in the country.

German journalist Billy Six seen in Damascus on March 5, 2013. Six was recently released from prison in Venezuela, where he had been held for nearly four months. (Louai Beshara/AFP)

German freelancer Billy Six freed, leaves Venezuela after 4 months in prison

March 18, 2019 10:37 AM EDT

New York, March 18, 2019 — German freelance reporter Billy Six returned to Germany yesterday after spending almost four months in detention in Venezuela, according to news reports.

Caracas, Venezuela, seen on May 20, 2018. A Polish reporter was recently attacked by unknown assailants in Caracas. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

Polish reporter Tomasz Surdel assaulted in Venezuela

March 15, 2019 4:34 PM EDT

Miami, March 15, 2019 — Venezuelan authorities should conduct an urgent and thorough investigation into the violent assault of reporter Tomasz Surdel, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.