Afghanistan
2007
CPJ calls for release of Afghan translator Ajmal Naskhbandi
New York, March 20, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned about Afghan freelance journalist Ajmal Naskhbandi, who was kidnapped over two weeks ago while acting as La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo’s translator. “We call on the Afghan government to do everything in its power to secure the release of our colleague Ajmal…
Taliban release Italian reporter, fate of translator unknown
New York, March 19, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes news that Italian daily La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo has been released today by Taliban kidnappers after two weeks in captivity. CPJ is alarmed by Taliban claims that Mastrogiacomo’s Afghan translator Ajmal Naskhbandi was not released, despite earlier reports that he was also freed.…
In Afghanistan, new demands for abducted journalist after driver was killed
NEW YORK, March 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a report that kidnappers of La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo have killed his Afghan driver and made additional demands for his release. According to the Pajhwok Afghan News agency, the country’s largest independent wire service, Mastrogiacomo’s driver Sayed Agha was killed for “spying…
In Afghanistan, journalist pleads for Italian authorities to meet his kidnappers’ demands
New York, March 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists called for the immediate release of abducted La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo, as his recorded appeals to authorities to meet the kidnappers’ demands were released today. The Pajhwok Afghan News agency in Kabul, the country’s largest independent wire service, received an audio tape of Mastrogiacomo saying…
CPJ: The world calls for the release of Daniele Mastrogiacomo
New York, March 13, 2007—Amid a growing public outcry more than a week after the abduction of La Repubblica journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo and two Afghan assistants, the Committee to Protect Journalists again adds its voice to the global call for their release. Mastrogiacomo, a journalist with 27 years of experience who was on assignment for…
CPJ calls for release of Italian journalist in Afghanistan
New York, March 9, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists joins colleagues in Afghanistan and around the world in calling for the release of La Repubblica correspondent Daniele Mastrogiacomo, missing since Sunday when he was abducted in southern Afghanistan. Mastrogiacomo appears to be held by a Taliban military group, which has told media organizations they are…
CPJ expresses alarm as Italian reporter goes missing in Afghanistan
New York, March 6, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo, a veteran reporter for the daily La Repubblica based in Afghanistan, has been out of contact with his newspaper since Sunday. The Taliban today said it had seized a man it alleged was a spy posing as…
In Afghanistan, U.S. troops confiscate pictures after attack
New York, March 5, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is disturbed by reports that U.S. soldiers deleted reporters’ photos and television footage of the aftermath of a suicide bomb attack on Sunday, in which several Afghan civilians were killed by U.S. fire. Soldiers deleted photos and videos taken by Associated Press freelance photographer…
Attacks on the Press in 2006: Preface
By Anderson CooperSilence. When a journalist is killed, more often than not, there is silence. In Russia, someone followed Anna Politkovskaya home and quietly shot her to death in her apartment building. The killer muffled the sound of the gun with a silencer. Her murder made headlines around the world in October, but from the…
Attacks on the Press 2006: Countries That Have Jailed Journalists
ALGERIA: 2 Djamel Eddine Fahassi, Alger Chaîne III IMPRISONED: May 6, 1995 Fahassi, a reporter for the state-run radio station Alger Chaîne III and a contributor to several Algerian newspapers, including the now-banned weekly of the Islamic Salvation Front, Al-Forqane, was abducted near his home in the al-Harrache suburb of the capital, Algiers, by four…