2020
Maharashtra police arrest Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami
New Delhi, November 5, 2020 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on authorities in the Indian state of Maharashtra to release Republic TV anchor and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami after he was arrested and ordered to be held for at least two weeks. Authorities are investigating allegations that Goswami abetted a suicide in May…
Journalists harassed, detained, and sentenced to jail in South Sudan
New York, November 5, 2020 — South Sudanese authorities should immediately release journalists Zechariah Makuach Maror and Jackson Ochaya and halt all acts of intimidation against the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 1, Ochaya, a reporter with the privately owned No. 1 Citizen newspaper, went missing and was later confirmed…
Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov sentenced to seven years in prison
New York, November 4, 2020 – Azerbaijani authorities should release journalist Afgan Sadygov and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Sadygov, chief editor of the independent news website Azel.tv, to seven years in prison, according to news reports, his wife Sevinch Sadygova, and his lawyer Elchin Sadygov, both…
Nigeria journalist Oga Tom Uhia detained for weeks on defamation complaint
Abuja, November 4, 2020–Authorities in Nigeria should immediately release Oga Tom Uhia, the publisher of local monthly magazine Power Steering, which covers the electrical power sector, and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 13, police arrested Uhia at his residence in Gwarimpa, a suburb of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja,…
Geo News reporter Ali Imran Syed abducted for 22 hours in Pakistan
On the evening of October 23, 2020, in Karachi, Pakistan, Geo News reporter Ali Imran Syed disappeared while he walking from his home to a nearby bakery, and was not seen until he reappeared physically unharmed at his mother’s home 22 hours later, according to news reports. After he reappeared, the government formed a fact-finding…
Moldovan airline employee prevents Russian journalist Irek Murtazin from boarding flight to Moldova
New York, November 4, 2020 – Moldovan authorities should immediately investigate an incident in which Russian journalist Irek Murtazin was prevented from boarding an Air Moldova flight to Moldova, and ensure that journalists can freely report on the country’s presidential elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 31, at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport,…
Brazilian journalists threatened, assaulted while covering pandemic lockdown
Rio de Janeiro, November 4, 2020 — Brazilian authorities must promptly investigate the harassment of journalist Bárbara Barbosa and camera operator Renato Soder and ensure the press can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the morning of November 2, in the southern city of Florianópolis, a group of about nine unidentified…
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono rearrested, charged with contempt of court
New York, November 3, 2020 – Zimbabwean police arrested journalist Hopewell Chin’ono at his home in Harare, the capital, earlier today and charged him with contempt of court for an October 28 tweet citing judges’ alleged criticism of Zimbabwean Chief Justice Luke Malaba, according to a Twitter post by Rose Hanzi, executive director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. According…
Hong Kong police arrest, charge producer Choy Yuk Ling for research on mob attack documentary
Taipei, November 3, 2020 — Police in Hong Kong must immediately drop all charges against Choy Yuk Ling, a producer with the city’s public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), and allow journalists to report freely on matters of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, Hong Kong police searched the home of…
In Israel, at least eight journalists attacked while reporting on COVID-19 restrictions in ultra-Orthodox areas
On October 4 and 7, 2020, at least eight Israeli journalists who were reporting on COVID-19 lockdown compliance in Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods of Mea Shearim and Kiryat Belz and in the cities of Bnei Brak and Beit Shemesh came under attack by residents, according to news reports and social media posts by the journalists…