Asia

Taipei, August 13, 2024—Mongolian authorities should not contest the appeal filed by Zarig news site founder and editor-in-chief Unurtsetseg Naran challenging her conviction on multiple charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Tuesday. “The Mongolian government must halt its escalating use of lawfare against journalists and protect their rights to report,” said CPJ’s Asia…

New York, August 12, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Hong Kong authorities and news organizations to protect the rights of journalists to report freely and defend their profession at a time the media are facing growing pressure in the city. “There is no journalism without press freedom,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh…

Chiang Mai, August 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes a Philippine court decision reversing a 2018 regulator’s order to shut down the independent news site Rappler, which was co-founded in 2012 by Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and reported critically on former President Rodrigo Duterte. “The Court of Appeal’s decision to void a 2018 government agency shutdown…

New York, August 7, 2024—Pakistani police have raided the home of digital journalist Usman Khan three times, forcing him into hiding to avoid detention for his coverage of protests over alleged human rights abuses in southwestern Baluchistan province. “Pakistani police must immediately cease their attempts to detain independent journalist Usman Khan and allow the media…

New York, August 6, 2024—The Afghan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) suspended 17 broadcast licenses for 14 media outlets on July 22 in eastern Nangarhar, one of Afghanistan’s most populous provinces. “Taliban officials must immediately reverse their decision to suspend the broadcast licenses of 14 active media outlets in Nangarhar province that collectively reach millions of…

New York, August 5, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the latest attacks on dozens of journalists covering anti-government protests in Bangladesh and calls on the country’s interim government to urgently ensure the safety of the media following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation on Monday. “All sides in Bangladesh must ensure that journalists can report…

When exiled Russian news website Meduza was hit with a flood of internet traffic in mid-April, it set off alarm bells among the staff as the deluge blocked publishing for more than four hours and briefly rendered the site inaccessible for some readers. It was the largest distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) attack in…

New York, July 29, 2024—Taliban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Mohammad Ibrahim Mohtaj, who was detained leaving his office on July 27 by agents of the Taliban’s provincial Directorate of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. Mohtaj, a broadcast manager and presenter with the independent…

Update: Since publication of this report, CPJ has learned that Md. Shakil Hossen was killed while attending a Dhaka student rally in his personal capacity, not reporting on a Gazipur protest as initial reports indicated. New York, July 26, 2024– The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Bangladesh authorities to investigate the killings of…

New York, July 22, 2024—Afghan authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Sayed Rahim Saeedi, who was detained by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence agents in the capital Kabul on July 14, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. Saeedi, an editor and producer with ANAR Media YouTube channel, was detained along with Sayed…