Mother of jailed Chinese journalist calls for international protest
New York, June 18, 2007—The mother of imprisoned Chinese journalist Shi Tao has called on the international community to maintain pressure on Chinese authorities to release her son ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. “My son is not guilty. You should keep up pressure on the Chinese government to release him,” Gao Qinsheng…
Ailing Vietnamese journalist released from prison
New York, June 11, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes as “long overdue” the release of Nguyen Vu Binh, a journalist imprisoned since 2002 for criticizing the government and freed less than two weeks before Vietnam’s president is due to meet with President Bush. “For nearly five years, Nguyen Vu Binh and family have suffered…
In Afghanistan, second female journalist killed in a week
New York, June 6, 2007-The Committee to Protect Journalists is horrified by the murder in her home of radio station director Zakia Zaki in Afghanistan’s Parwan province, north of the capital Kabul. Unidentified gunmen shot her several times near midnight this morning in the bedroom she was sharing with her small children, according to international…
CPJ calls on Pakistani government to drop complaint against 200 journalists
New York, June 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that Pakistani police have filed a complaint against roughly 200 journalists on charges of defying a ban on political rallies. CPJ calls on the government to immediately withdraw the cases, which were announced today, and to stop its pattern of intimidation against journalists. The…
Chinese reporter arrested following months of police harassment
New York, June 4, 2007—A Nanjing-based reporter whose online video, audio, and written news reports had angered authorities is in police custody today along with his wife, according to his employer at the U.S.-based news Web site Boxun News. Following the May 30 arrest, police accused Sun Lin (known by his pen name Jie Mu)…
Pakistani government moves to silence broadcasters
New York, June 4, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a presidential ordinance enacted on Sunday that gives the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) the power to halt broadcastersí transmissions, close offices, seize equipment, and revoke licenses. The measure also increases fines for violations of PEMRA regulations from 1 million rupees (US$16,665)…
Amid growing political dissent, Pakistan aims to curtail live TV coverage
New York, June 1, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about reports that the Pakistani government will seek to restrict live television broadcasts of anti-government demonstrations. The reports, from several local news outlets and sources, come as news outlets face increasing official pressure for covering the street demonstrations sparked by President Pervez Musharraf’s ouster…