2021
Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich’s parents on their efforts to find and free their son
“It felt like a horror movie.” That is how Dmitry Pratasevich describes learning that his son, Raman Pratasevich, was arrested after Belarusian authorities diverted Raman’s commercial flight from Greece to Lithuania to land in Minsk on May 23. Raman was the co-founder of NEXTA and the chief editor of Belarus of the Brain, two Telegram channels that rankled authorities…
Syrian Kurdish security forces detain fixer Kamiran Sadoun overnight in Raqqa
On June 16, 2021, officers with the Syrian Democratic Forces’ General Security agency detained Kamiran Sadoun, a fixer for international journalists, for several hours in a jail in the city of Raqqa, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and a statement by the local press freedom group the Syrian Kurdish…
Uzbek news websites Kun.uz and Azon.uz fined for allegedly publishing ‘religious material’ without approval
Stockholm, June 24, 2021 – Uzbek authorities should drop the fines issued to staff members of the independent news websites Kun.uz and Azon.uz, and let all outlets report and comment freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 21, the Chilonzor District Court in Tashkent, the capital, fined several people affiliated with both…
Photojournalist Ian Willms detained while covering police in Toronto
Washington, D.C., June 24, 2021 — Toronto police should explain why they detained photojournalist Ian Willms and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 1:30 p.m. on June 22, police detained Willms, a freelance photojournalist, after he climbed into a fenced-off area while attempting to photograph officers forcing…
Nicaraguan police detain journalist Miguel Mendoza for alleged treason
New York, June 23, 2021 — Nicaraguan authorities should immediately release journalist Miguel Mendoza, drop the criminal investigation into him, and halt the escalating campaign of harassment against the independent press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 9 p.m. on June 21, officers with the Nicaraguan National Police detained Mendoza and raided…
CPJ joins call for US to investigate Egypt’s alleged role in Khashoggi murder
The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined seven other civil society groups in a joint statement calling on the United States government to transparently investigate any role Egyptian officials may have played in the killing of Saudi journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi, and to publicly disclose any findings from that investigation. On June 21,…
West Africa court orders Nigeria to refrain from sanctioning media for using Twitter
New York, June 23, 2021 — In response to yesterday’s ruling by the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) Court of Justice ordering Nigeria to refrain from sanctioning media outlets and Nigerian citizens for using Twitter, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The ECOWAS court order for Nigeria to refrain from…
Turkish journalist Mustafa Uslu beaten, equipment broken in Kocaeli
Istanbul, June 23, 2021 – Turkish authorities should ensure that the people who beat journalist Mustafa Uslu are held accountable and prosecuted, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, four people in the northwestern province of Kocaeli attacked Uslu, a reporter for the pro-government İhlas News Agency (İHA), while he was covering authorities’ demolition…
Hong Kong police arrest Apple Daily editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee under national security law
Taipei, June 23, 2021 – Hong Kong authorities must immediately release journalist Yeung Ching-kee, drop any charges against him, and allow all members of the press to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. This morning, officers from the Hong Kong Police Force’s National Security Department arrested Yeung, the lead editorial writer for…
Hong Kong’s Apple Daily newspaper to cease publication
Washington, D.C., June 23, 2021 — In response to today’s decision by Hong Kong-based media company Next Digital to cease publication of the Apple Daily newspaper, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The Next Digital board’s decision to cease publication of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper is the result of the Chinese…