2014

Mexico City, October 2, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the attack on the home of a Mexican crime and politics beat reporter early Monday morning in Zacatecas state and calls on authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

Last week’s announcement by Eric Holder that he will resign as Attorney General marks what will hopefully be the beginning of the end of a perplexingly dark period for press freedom in the U.S. As Holder seeks to solidify his legacy, in part based on important civil rights reforms that he helped realize, the aggression…

Bogotá, September 30, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by death threats against numerous journalists in different states in Colombia over the past week and calls on authorities to ensure the journalists’ safety. All of the journalists had reported on criminal activities in the region.

Prominent support for #RightToReport in the Digital Age More than 2,800 people including prominent journalists Christiane Amanpour, Glenn Greenwald, and Alan Rusbridger have already signed on to CPJ’s new campaign Right to Report in the Digital Age.

Honoring courage and perseverance Awardees from Burma, Iran, Russia, and South Africa New York, September 30, 2014–Four journalists from Burma, Iran, Russia, and South Africa will be honored with the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 2014 International Press Freedom Awards, an annual recognition of courageous reporting. These journalists have faced imprisonment, violence, and censorship.

At a bizarre news conference in April, Bolivia’s Communications Minister Amanda Dávila claimed that journalist Raúl Peñaranda, who was born in Chile, represented a dangerous “beachhead” for Chilean interests trying to deny landlocked Bolivia access to the Pacific.

Widespread violence and impunity leave murders unsolved Amid the violence and instability caused by organized crime and corruption in Central America, Honduras and Guatemala have experienced an alarming rise in the number of murders of, and attacks against, journalists. Near complete impunity for these crimes means the cases go mostly unsolved and the motives unexplained.…

This week, as he takes office as lead chair of the Open Government Partnership, Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto will reaffirm the commitment of the more than 60 countries that make up this multilateral initiative, which seeks to enhance governance, promote citizen participation, and improve governments’ accountability to citizens.

Letter to President Barack Obama highlights threats to press freedom in the United States New York, September 22, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists sent a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama today, expressing its concern about the effects that intelligence and law enforcement activities have on the free flow of news. The letter, which comes…