2021
Botswana police charge Moeladilotlhoko News Boiler staff with criminal trespass
Lusaka, June 2, 2021 – Botswana authorities should immediately drop the criminal charges against two journalists and three media workers at the Moeladilotlhoko News Boiler and cease harassing members of the press and seizing their devices, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The five are expected in court this month in connection to a case dating…
Zimbabwe court denies bail to NY Times freelancer Jeffrey Moyo, claiming national security threat
New York, June 2, 2021 – Zimbabwe authorities should not contest journalist Jeffrey Moyo’s appeal of a recent ruling denying him bail, and should drop the criminal case against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 31, a court in the city of Bulawayo denied Moyo’s bail request, and ordered him to…
Retired Egyptian journalist Tawfik Ghanem detained on terrorism charges
On May 21, 2021, Egyptian state security forces arrested Tawfik Ghanem, a retired journalist who most recently worked as the Cairo-based regional director of the Turkish news agency Anadolu, according to news reports and one of his lawyers, who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal. Authorities arrested Ghanem from…
Bulgarian journalist Nickolay Stoyanov faces criminal defamation suits over reporting
Berlin, June 2, 2021 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the filing of three criminal defamation suits against Bulgarian journalist Nickolay Stoyanov, and called on authorities to reform the country’s laws to decriminalize speech. Since February, two subjects of Stoyanov’s reporting for the Bulgarian weekly Capital have filed criminal defamation suits over his…
Myanmar military court sentences 2 journalists to jail for incitement
Bangkok, June 2, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned Myanmar authorities’ sentencing of two journalists to prison on charges of incitement, and called for them to be released immediately. Today, a military court in the southern city of Myeik convicted Aung Kyaw, a reporter with the Democratic Voice of Burma, and Zaw…
EU must seek justice for Kyrgyz journalist Azimjon Askarov in upcoming talks
Brussels, June 2, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on European Union officials to use upcoming talks with the Kyrgyzstan government to seek justice for the death of imprisoned journalist Azimjon Askarov. Askarov died in prison on July 25, 2020, as CPJ documented at the time; he had been sick in prison…
Nicaraguan prosecutors question at least 16 journalists, threaten criminal investigation into Univision correspondent
Guatemala City, June 1, 2021 — Nicaraguan authorities must refrain from opening criminal investigations into the work of journalist María Lilly Delgado and any other members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since late May, authorities have summoned at least 16 journalists to give witness testimony relating to a money laundering…
Journalist Asad Ali Toor summoned for alleged defamation of Pakistan government
Washington, D.C., June 1, 2021 — Pakistan should authorities stop harassing journalist Asad Ali Toor and let him work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, the Cyber Crime Reporting Center of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency in Rawalpindi issued a summons addressed to Toor’s home, ordering him to appear for questioning on June…
Ethiopia elections 2021: Journalist safety kit
Ethiopia is scheduled to hold general elections later this year amid heightened tensions across the country. Military conflict broke out in the Tigray region in November 2020, and is ongoing; over the past year, several other regions have witnessed significant levels of violence and fatalities as a result of protests and inter-ethnic clashes, according to…