CPJ condemns brutal murder of Swedish photographer
New York, June 23, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply shocked by the killing of award-winning Swedish journalist and photographer Martin Adler, who was shot by an unidentified gunman while filming a demonstration in the Somali capital Mogadishu today. Adler, a long-time contributor to Britain’s Channel 4 News, was freelancing for several newspapers including…
CPJ condemns detention of National Geographic photographer
New York, June 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the four-day detention of veteran freelance photographer, Ed Kashi, who was on assignment for U.S. magazine National Geographic in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. Kashi, a U.S. citizen, was arrested June 16 along with his Nigerian fixer, Elias Courson, while photographing an oil facility in…
CPJ urges president to probe attacks on press
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by a recent string of attacks on journalists in Liberia, some of which were carried out by government security forces. The Press Union of Liberia wrote to you on May 30 to express concern about these attacks and call for an investigation. However, despite an Information Ministry statement the following day affirming the government’s commitment to press freedom, there has been no evidence of an investigation into these incidents nor any public effort to punish those responsible.
Radio station closed, journalists harassed
New York, June 19, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the closure of a radio station in Somalia, and the brief detention by militiamen of two of its journalists, over a report of an alleged Ethiopian incursion. Somalia’s weakened transitional government, which is based in Baidoa, 155 miles (250 kilometers) northwest of the…
Newspaper editor detained overnight for critical article
June 18, 200 Posted: June 20, 2006 Mohammed Abdi Urad, Jamhuuriya HARASSED Urad, an editor at the Somali-language daily Jamhuuriya in the self-declared northern republic of Somaliland, was arrested on the orders of the High Court after the paper published an article criticizing local lawmakers. Urad was held overnight in Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa, before being…
CPJ protests spate of press attacks
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists is increasingly alarmed by repeated attacks against the media in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Such attacks are all the more troubling in the current context of campaigning for presidential and parliamentary elections due July 30. While one journalist was released on bail Wednesday, another has been jailed for more than six months in connection with his work. At least two radio stations remain off the air after attacks by security forces, while CPJ sources report at least one violent attack on a journalist in recent weeks. The government has also blocked the accreditation of a veteran correspondent for Radio France Internationale (RFI).
Security services arrest television presenter
New York, June 15, 2006—State security agents arrested a presenter for Nigeria’s leading private television channel after he hosted a panel discussion about next year’s presidential election, a station manager said today. State Security Service (SSS) detained Mike Gbenga Aruleba of African Independent Television (AIT) in the capital, Abuja, on Wednesday. Mac Amarere, general manager…
Journalist freed on bail, another remains in prison
New York, June 14, 2006—A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo today freed radio journalist Pierre-Sosthène Kambidi on bail pending appeal of a defamation conviction, according to his lawyer and the Kinshasa-based press freedom group Journaliste en Danger (JED). Kambidi was arrested June 8 in the town of Tshikapa, and sentenced to three months…
French radio correspondent expelled
New York, June 14, 2006—Radio France Internationale’s correspondent in Rwanda was forced to leave the country on Saturday after the authorities refused to renew her visa, according to an RFI statement released yesterday. The government gave no explanation for the expulsion of Sonia Rolley, according to RFI Africa Director Henri Perilhou. RFI condemned the decision…