CPJ writes to Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to seek ways to work with his new administration to improve the climate for the media in Somalia, and in particular to ensure that those who murder journalists are brought to swift and fair justice.
New York, February 6, 2017–Today’s ruling by Kenya’s High Court that the country’s criminal defamation law is unconstitutional is a welcome step toward safeguarding press freedom and free speech, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
CPJ urges Cameroonian President Paul Biya to instruct military prosecutors to drop charges against Ahmed Abba–a correspondent for Radio France Internationale’s Hausa-language service who has been jailed for 18 months–so that he can be released without further delay. The journalist’s trial before a military tribunal is scheduled to resume on February 2.
New York, January 20, 2017–Somaliland Attorney General Hasan Ahmed Hasan should immediately drop his appeal of a court’s acquittal of two journalists charged with publishing false news and operating an unlicensed newspaper, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Lagos, Nigeria, January 19, 2017–Nigerian authorities should drop all charges against Dapo Olorunyomi, publisher of the news website Premium Times, and Evelyn Okakwu, who covers the judiciary for the website, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Plainclothes police officers raided the website’s office in the capital Abuja and arrested the two today, holding them…
Lagos, Nigeria, January 18, 2017–Seven international journalists planning to report on the inauguration of Gambia’s president-elect Adama Barrow tomorrow were denied entry to the country on January 16, according to reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists denounced the obstruction as a deliberate attempt to silence the press during a period of political unrest.
New York, January 17, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called for the immediate release of Shiraaz Mohamed, a South African freelance journalist who was kidnapped in Syria last week while documenting the humanitarian relief effort in northern Syria.
New York, January 13, 2017–Congolese authorities should immediately release Ghys Fortuné Dombé Bemba, editor of the privately owned newspaper Talassa, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The Republic of Congo’s security services arrested Bemba in Brazzaville on January 11, Radio France Internationale reported.