2024
Proposed broadcast law amendments threaten press freedom in Indonesia
Bangkok, May 29, 2024—Proposed amendments to Indonesia’s broadcasting law represent a clear and present danger to press freedom and should be scrapped immediately to uphold and protect democracy, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. According to multiple press reports citing a leaked draft of the broadcast bill, electronic and television broadcasts of “exclusive investigative journalism” would be restricted…
DRC regulator suspends Bosolo TV program over election commentary
On May 15, 2024, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s media regulator, the Superior Audiovisual and Communications Council, known by its French acronym CSAC, ordered the privately owned Bosolo TV station to suspend its “Bosolo Na Politik Officielle” program for a month, according to a CSAC video statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, and media reports. According to…
Prominent Serbian minority newspaper repeatedly threatened in Croatia after nationalist party gains power
Berlin, May 29, 2024 — Croatian authorities should immediately and thoroughly investigate the threats against journalists of Novosti, a weekly newspaper of the Serbian national minority, and ensure their safety and ability to report, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Novosti journalists have received dozens of insulting, hateful, intimidating, and threatening messages by email,…
Georgian parliament overrides presidential veto, adopts Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ law
Stockholm, May 28, 2024 — The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly decries the Georgian parliament’s Tuesday decision to overturn a veto by the country’s president and adopt a Russian-style “foreign agents” law that would target media outlets and press freedom groups. “The ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to push through Kremlin-inspired ‘foreign agents’ legislation despite…
Nigerian journalist Madu Onuorah arrested for alleged defamation, released on bail
New York, May 24, 2024 — Nigerian authorities should drop their investigation into journalist Madu Onuorah and cease arresting journalists in connection with their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Armed police officers from Nigeria’s eastern Enugu and Ebonyi states arrested Onuorah, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Global Upfront Newspapers, at his home…
CPJ calls on Tajikistan authorities to stop harassing relatives of exiled journalists
Stockholm, May 24, 2024—Tajikistan authorities must end their harassment of family members of journalists with independent Europe-based broadcaster Azda TV and allow exiled journalists to work without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Since late last year, Tajik law enforcement agencies have repeatedly summoned, interrogated, and threatened relatives of five Azda…
Journalists assaulted at MK election rally ahead of South Africa elections
Lusaka, May 24, 2024 — South African authorities must investigate and hold to account those responsible for sexually assaulting a woman journalist as well as physically assaulting and harassing other members of the media during an uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party political rally on May 18, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Friday. Men…
Brazil’s top court acts to protect journalists from judicial harassment
São Paulo, May 24, 2024—A decision by Brazil’s top court to recognize the judicial harassment of journalists and to introduce procedures to help prevent courts being misused to intimidate and silence the media is a welcome move towards safeguarding press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On May 22, the Supreme Court unanimously…
Guinea revokes broadcast licenses of 6 media outlets
Dakar, May 23, 2023—Guinean authorities should immediately reinstate the media licenses for six blocked outlets and allow them to resume broadcasting freely after months of censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On May 21 and 22, Guinea’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology revoked the broadcasting licenses of the private radio stations FIM, Espace, Sweet,…
Mexican journalist Alberto Amaro Jordán receives death threats in Tlaxcala
Mexico City, May 23, 2024 — Mexican authorities must immediately investigate death threats directed at reporter Alberto Amaro Jordán, his family, and his bodyguards and take steps to guarantee his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. Unknown individuals driving a red truck passed by the residence of Amaro, founder and editor of Tlaxcala…