Attacks on the Press 2007: Introduction
By Joel SimonIn August 2008, when the Olympic torch is lit in Beijing, more than 20,000 journalists will be on hand to cover the competition between the world’s greatest athletes. Behind the scenes, another competition will be taking place. If the Chinese government has its way, this one will remain hidden. It will be a…
Attacks on the Press 2007: Burma
BURMA Burmese journalists came under heavy assault in August and September when covering pro-democracy street protests and the military government’s retaliatory crackdown, marking significant deterioration in what was already one of the world’s most repressive media environments. The government banned coverage of the uprising and sought to isolate the nation by impeding Internet and phone…
Burmese government suspends newspaper
New York, January 23, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that the Burmese government has suspended the weekly Myanmar Times for one week as a result of its publication of unauthorized news, according to international news reports. Burma’s Press Scrutiny Board ordered the temporary closure because of the newspaper’s January 11 Burmese-language edition, which…
In Burma, wife of journalist released from prison
New York, October 23, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes today’s release of Khin Mar Lar, the wife of award-winning Burmese journalist and documentary filmmaker Thaung Tun (also known as Nyein Thit), who is still in hiding. Khin Mar Lar was detained on September 25, when security agents raided her home in the central city of…
In Burma, wife of former CPJ award winner arrested
New York, October 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest of Khin Mar Lar, the wife of award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker Thaung Tun. Khin Mar Lar was arrested on September 25 in her family home in Amarapura, a suburb of Mandalay, by police looking for Thaung Tun, according to the U.S. Campaign…
Three journalists released, three still held in detention
New York, October 10, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the continued detention of at least three Burmese journalists and expresses strong concern about recent news reports that government authorities have consulted media images to identify and detain people who participated in recent street protests. According to CPJ sources, Win Ko Ko…
In Burma, concerns mount over missing journalists
New York, October 4, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists is increasingly concerned about the welfare of at least three Burmese reporters who went missing during the government’s crackdown on street protesters last week. A fourth reporter, Tokyo Shimbun’s Min Zin, was released from government custody on Wednesday. CPJ calls on the Burmese authorities to…
One journalist detained, three missing in government crackdown
New York, October 1, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about reports that one journalist has been detained and another three have gone missing in the wake of the ongoing crackdown on anti-government protests in Burma. On Friday, Min Zaw, a reporter with the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper, was arrested at his home in…
Evidence emerges of intentional shooting of Japanese cameraman in Burma
New York, September 28, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the apparently deliberate fatal shooting of Japanese cameraman Kenji Nagai by a Burmese soldier on Thursday. Video footage shown on Japan’s Fuji News Network reveals that Nagai, who was filming near a group of demonstrators in Yangon, was pushed to the…