Americas

  
Police in Ferguson, Missouri, arrest Scott Olson, a photographer for Getty Images. (Reuters/Joshua Lott)

CPJ condemns ongoing harassment, arrests of reporters in Ferguson

New York, August 19, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the continued harassment and detentions of journalists covering the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, sparked by the police killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown. At least nine journalists have been detained and released without charge since Saturday, according to CNN. Two others were briefly…

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Venezuela suspends critical radio program

Bogotá, August 19, 2014–Venezuelan authorities should immediately reverse the suspension of a critical radio program that has been off the air since Friday, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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CPJ concerned by arrests, harassment of reporters covering unrest in Ferguson, Missouri

New York, August 14, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the attacks on and brief detentions of journalists covering protests in Ferguson, Missouri, over the past week in reaction to the killing of teenager Michael Brown by the police. Two journalists were briefly detained on Wednesday and released without charge. Journalists have reported…

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Journalists protest the murder of Colombian reporter Luis Carlos Cervantes. (AFP/Raul Arboleda)

Colombian radio director killed after receiving threats

New York, August 13, 2014–Colombian authorities should immediately investigate the murder of a journalist on Tuesday and apprehend the killers, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Luis Carlos Cervantes Solano had received threats related to his reporting since 2010, according to news reports.

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Friends and family of Octavio Rojas Hernández, a Mexican journalist shot dead on Tuesday, attend his funeral. (AP/Felix Marquez)

Mexican reporter shot dead in Oaxaca state

Mexico City, August 13, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder on Monday of Mexican reporter Octavio Rojas Hernández in the state of Oaxaca and calls on authorities to investigate the killing, identify the motive, and bring those responsible to justice.

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CPJ and press freedom organizations to deliver Risen petition to U.S. Justice Department

New York, August 13, 2014–A coalition of organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, will hold a news conference on Thursday about efforts by the Obama administration to compel New York Times reporter James Risen to disclose a confidential source. Earlier in the day, a petition with 100,000 signatories–“We Support James Risen Because We Support…

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A woman hangs accreditations of journalists killed in recent years while covering the news in Mexico, at a protest in Guadalajara on February 23, 2014. (Reuters/Alejandro Acosta)

Mexican radio station director’s son killed in attack

Mexico City, August 4, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the attack on Saturday on community radio station director Indalecio Benítez that resulted in the death of his 12-year-old son.

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In this May 12, 2014 photo, forensic workers examine the scene where an activist for missing persons was gunned down by unknown assailants in Culiacan, Mexico. (AP/El Debate, Dulce Mercado)

CPJ calls on Mexican authorities in Sinaloa to repeal restrictive law

Mexico City, August 4, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the state congress in Sinaloa to repeal a law passed on Wednesday that would severely restrict the ability of the press to report on crime scenes and criminal investigations. Local congressmen presented a bill on Friday that would repeal the law, according to an…

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CPJ board member Clarence Page, right, speaks  at a panel Wednesday organized by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights in partnership with CPJ in Washington, D.C. (CPJ/Rachael Levy)

First US-Africa summit short on press freedom, other human rights

Top African and U.S. leaders are meeting next week in Washington in a first-of-its-kind summit focused on African development. But critics argue the summit is flawed in design, overlooking human rights such as freedom of expression and barring civil society actors from bilateral discussions.

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CPJ

No press freedom without Internet freedom

Four years ago, when CPJ launched its Internet Advocacy program, we were met with lots of encouragement, but also some skepticism. “Why do you need a program to defend the Internet?” one supporter asked. “You don’t have a special program to defend television, or radio, or newspapers.” But the Internet is different. Increasingly, when it…

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