2024

New York, October 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Croatian authorities to condemn the October 5 online attacks against columnist Ante Tomić made by Ivan Šipić, Minister of Demography and Immigration, and ensure journalists can safely do their jobs without fear of reprisal in the country.  “We are concerned by Minister Ivan Šipić’s rhetoric targeting columnist…

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined eight other press freedom organizations in calling for the release of Guatemalan journalist José Ruben Zamora, who has spent 800 days in detention since his July 29, 2022 arrest on charges of money laundering charges—which international organizations describe as arbitrary and politically motivated. The statement urged the Guatemalan government, especially President…

Kinshasa, October 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to release journalist Patrick Lokala, and drop all legal proceedings against him and another reporter, Érasme Kasongo Kalenga, following their separate arrests on Monday, October 7.  “Authorities in the DRC should swiftly and unconditionally release Patrick Lokala…

Dakar, October 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Burkinabe authorities to lift the suspension of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Voice of America (VOA), which is the latest outlet to be censored for discussing insecurity in the Sahel region. “Instead of seeking to constrain the media available to people in their country, Burkinabe…

New York, October 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Italian authorities to end all legal proceedings against investigative journalist Simone Innocenti, charged with leaking “official secrets” in connection with his reporting, following an October 4 appeals court decision to uphold the legality of the search of his home and seizure of his devices. “The Italian appeals court’s…

Berlin, October 8, 2024—Russian authorities should immediately cancel the arrest warrants issued in absentia for Italian journalists Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini, charged with illegal border crossing following their August 14 report on the Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. “The arrest warrants for Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini are a clear attempt to intimidate and…

New York, October 8, 2024—Ukrainian authorities should swiftly investigate the recent attacks on journalists Yuriy Leskiv, Elmira Shagabuddinova, and Olena Hnitetska, and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. “CPJ condemns the intimidation of journalists Yuriy Leskiv, Elmira Shagabuddinova, and Olena Hnitetska, and calls on Ukrainian authorities to ensure timely…

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined more than 100 news outlets and press rights organizations in a letter on Tuesday, October 8, asking U.S. Congressional members to support the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act (PRESS Act). The bill would create a federal shield safeguarding reporter-source confidentiality and prevent government access to unreported source…

New Delhi, October 8, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Kashmiri journalist Sajad Gul on bail — after more than two years of arbitrary detention on multiple charges — and calls on authorities in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir to immediately end all prosecution against him. “The release of Kashmiri journalist Sajad Gul on bail…

New York, October 8, 2024—Algerian authorities must release the Djelfa Tribune editor-in-chief, Badreddine Guermat, and should not contest if he chooses to appeal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. The journalist was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 100,000 dinars (US$752) on Sunday, October 6, on charges of insulting a state institution…