Asia Archives - Page 16 of 18 - Committee to Protect Journalists

Radio journalist shot dead in the Philippines

February 18, 2015 9:55 AM EST

Bangkok, February 18, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Philippine authorities to investigate the murder on Saturday of radio journalist Maurito Lim and bring the assailant to justice.

Malaysian cartoonist Zunar poses in plastic handcuffs prior to the launch of his new book of political cartoons. (AP/Joshua Paul)

Malaysian authorities seize another book by political cartoonist

February 17, 2015 8:59 AM EST

Bangkok, February 17, 2015–In an escalating campaign of harassment, Malaysian authorities seized copies of a new volume of political cartoons by Zulkiflee Awar Ulhaque, also known as Zunar, on Saturday, according to news reports. In the past three weeks, police have confiscated three separate volumes of Zunar’s cartoons and detained him for four days on…

Zunar holds a copy of his banned cartoon book in 2010. The cartoonist has been arrested on accusations of sedition. (AP/Lai Seng Sin)

Cartoonist detained for critical tweets in Malaysia

February 11, 2015 9:20 AM EST

Bangkok, February 11, 2015–Malaysian authorities arrested a political cartoonist on Tuesday on accusations of sedition, according to news reports. Zulkiflee Awar Ulhaque, also known as Zunar, was detained after posting critical tweets about a court decision to imprison the country’s main opposition leader.

A sand sculpture in Mumbai for victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack. An editor arrested after complaints over her decision to publish an image of the French magazine's cover has gone into hiding in India. (Reuters/Danish Siddiqui)

In India, laws that back the offended force editor into hiding

February 9, 2015 3:45 PM EST

Mumbai may be 7,000 kilometers from Paris but the debate on freedom of expression sparked by coverage of the January 7 attack on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo is close to home for large parts of the Indian press.

Mission Journal: Finding a legal solution to siege of Pakistan’s media

February 5, 2015 5:06 PM EST

Pakistan’s media, long under siege, face new challenges. “We had managed to get the genie out of the lamp,” was the way one Pakistani journalist explained it to me during a trip there last month. “But now, the military has pushed it back in and I’m not sure when we’ll be able to get it…

Police raid, seize books from Malaysian cartoonist’s office

February 2, 2015 9:07 AM EST

Bangkok, February 2, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Malaysian authorities to halt the legal harassment of a Malaysian cartoonist. Zulkiflee Awar Ulhaque, also known as Zunar, is a frequent contributor to the news website Malaysiakini and the author of several volumes of political cartoons.

CPJ welcomes release of Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste

February 1, 2015 10:42 AM EST

February 1, 2015–Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste, who was serving a seven-year prison sentence in Egypt for “conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood,” was deported today, according to Egypt’s state-run news agency. Greste, who is Australian, was arrested in December 2013 with his colleagues Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.

CPJ condemns murder of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto

January 31, 2015 4:15 PM EST

New York, January 31, 2015–The Islamic State militant group released a video Saturday purporting to show the murder of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, according to news reports. Japanese authorities have not yet verified the footage is authentic, according to news reports. Goto, a well-respected journalist who reported primarily on humanitarian issues, was kidnapped in Syria…

Sri Lankan president should ensure improved climate for press freedom

January 30, 2015 2:14 PM EST

Dear President Sirisena: The Committee to Protect Journalists, an international press freedom organization, is writing to congratulate you on your recent victory in Sri Lanka’s presidential election. As Sri Lanka readies itself for a new chapter in its history, we urge your government to take concrete and meaningful steps to improve the climate for press freedom.

China doubles down on counterproductive censorship

January 28, 2015 5:15 PM EST

In a move unlikely to surprise those who access the Internet from mainland China, the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently blocked several popular tools used to bypass the “Great Firewall” national Internet censorship system. Citing the need to protect “cyberspace sovereignty” and to “maintain cyber security and steady operation,” the Ministry changed…