Asia

  

Attacks on the Press in 2011: Indonesia

With no work-related deaths reported in 2011, Southeast Asia’s largest economy and most populous country pulled back from its record high of three fatalities in 2010. The country’s vibrant media remained under threat, however, particularly in remote areas. Banjir Ambarita, a contributor to the Jakarta Globe, suffered serious injuries in a March stabbing in apparent…

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Attacks on the Press in 2011: India

Although the motives remained unconfirmed in late year, the murders of Chhattisgarh’s Umesh Rajput and Mumbai crime reporter Jyotirmoy Dey reminded colleagues of the risk of violence. India remained on CPJ’s Impunity Index, a ranking of countries in which journalists are murdered regularly and authorities fail to solve the crimes. Violent clashes between insurgents and…

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Attacks on the Press in 2011: China

Authorities blocked reporting of unrest occurring around the world, from Inner Mongolia to the Occupy movement. More than half of the 27 journalists imprisoned on December 1 were from Tibet and Xinjiang, reflecting crackdowns after earlier unrest in minority regions. After online calls for Arab Spring-style demonstrations, dubbed the Jasmine revolution, CPJ documented the worst…

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Attacks on the Press in 2011: Burma

Burma’s news media remained among the most restricted in the world, despite the transition from military to civilian rule and President Thein Sein’s vow to adopt a more liberal approach. The Press Scrutiny and Registration Department reviewed all local news journals prior to publication, censoring a vast array of topics. Criticism of the government and…

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Attacks on the Press in 2011: Afghanistan

As NATO and Afghan military forces faced off with militant groups, the news media worked in a hostile and uncertain environment. Two journalists were killed for their work, both during major insurgent attacks. Accusations of widespread fraud marred the second post-Taliban parliamentary elections, which were resolved only by a presidential decree that ousted several apparent…

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In China, journalists attacked while covering land dispute

New York, February 16, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists is disturbed by a series of violent attacks on international journalists that appear aimed at suppressing coverage of land-related protests in Panhe, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. 

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Threats to Pakistani journalists don’t let up

In the last few days, messages from two journalists in Pakistan have made me realize that I can’t turn away from publicizing the threats they are facing, because they just keep coming. 

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President Obama meets with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Tuesday at the  White House. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Archaic media policies make China a poor partner

President Obama has promised to raise issues of human rights when he and his administration meet with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping in the next day. After that, Xi, billed as China’s next leader, is expected to make some speeches, visit a few factories, stop at the Pentagon, sign some contracts that will strengthen economic…

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A Czech journalist was arrested last week for photographing an independence rally in Papua like this one in August 2011. (AFP/Banjir Ambarita)

Czech journalist detained, deported from Indonesia

Bangkok, February 14, 2012–Indonesian authorities detained a Czech journalist on Wednesday, then deported him for reporting without official permission from a restricted area of the country, according to news reports. 

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An Internet user checks a Twitter account in Saudi Arabia, where a journalist faces legal action after writing about the Prophet Mohammed on Twitter. (AFP/Fayed Nureldine)

Saudi columnist deported from Malaysia

New York, February 13, 2012–Saudi columnist Hamza Kashgari, whose Twitter postings about the Prophet Mohammed have drawn death threats and government reprisals, was deported from Malaysia back to his home country on Sunday, according to news reports. 

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