Inter-American Human Rights System, campaigns against defamation laws keep journalists from jail in Americas
When a prison guard told Ángel Santiesteban Prats that he would be released from jail on a scorching summer day in July, the Cuban independent writer and blogger decided to ignore him, brushing off the news as a cruel joke. By then, Santiesteban had already spent two years and five months in prison, half of…
CPJ calls on authorities to investigate murder of Brazilian blogger
São Paulo, November 18, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Brazilian authorities to investigate the death of blogger Ítalo Eduardo Diniz Barros, who was shot in northern Brazil Friday. Diniz, who also worked as a press officer for a mayor, often criticized local authorities in his blog, according to colleagues and local news reports.…
Gunmen open fire on house of journalist covering land disputes in Brazil
São Paulo, November 13, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Brazil to thoroughly investigate an attack on the house of a local journalist in the state of Paraná. João Muniz told CPJ his house was shot at on Thursday and that he believes his reporting on land disputes was the reason for…
In Brazil, radio reporter shot dead in Pernambuco state
São Paulo, November 11, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of radio journalist Israel Gonçalves Silva, who was shot dead Tuesday in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. The attack comes as at least four journalists have been murdered in direct retaliation for their work in Brazil this year.
How Argentine broadcast law rewards friendly outlets and discriminates against critics
The moment polls closed for Argentina’s presidential election on October 25, the C5N cable news station breathlessly reported that ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli had triumphed and would succeed President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who is banned by the constitution from running for a third consecutive term.
CPJ urges Kerry to call for release of imprisoned journalists in Central Asia
Dear U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to bring to your attention the deteriorating climate for press freedom in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. As you prepare to head to these countries later this week, we ask that you put press freedom on the agenda of your meetings with high-level government officials.
Getting Away With Murder
CPJ’s 2015 Global Impunity Index spotlights countries where journalists are slain and the killers go free Published October 8, 2015 Elisabeth Witchel/CPJ Impunity Campaign Consultant The ambush of a convoy in South Sudan and the hacking deaths of bloggers in Bangladesh this year propelled the two nations onto CPJ’s Global Impunity Index, which spotlights countries…
Save Crypto: CPJ joins call for Obama to back strong encryption
The Committee to Protect Journalists has signed a petition organized by digital rights groups Access and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, urging President Barack Obama to publicly commit the U.S. to a policy of supporting strong encryption. Since the Save Crypto petition’s launch on September 29, it has gathered nearly 18,000 signatures, including about 30 from…