Two Bangladeshi TV stations off-air after fatal fire
New York, February 26, 2007—At least three people were killed and more than 100 people were injured today as a fire tore through a Dhaka office building housing private television stations NTV and RTV and Bengali-language newspaper Amar Desh. The cause of the fire was unclear. The two news channels were off the air this…
CPJ relieved that missing Pakistani journalist was released
New York, February 21, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is relieved to learn that Daily Express Peshawar Editor Suhail Qalander, who had been missing along with a friend since January 2, has been returned to safety. The Daily Express is Pakistan’s second largest Urdu-language newspaper. Qalander and Niaz Mohammad, a local businessman, had last been…
Newspaper editor murdered in the Philippines
New York, February 20, 2007—Hernani Pastolero, 64, editor-in-chief of the community newspaper Lightning Courier Weekly, was shot dead in front of his home Monday morning in Sultan Kudarat township, on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Pastolero was shot twice in the head by an unidentified assassin who escaped on foot, according to local media…
In Vietnam, a jailed journalist’s health seriously deteriorates
New York, February 20, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the severe deterioration in the health of independent journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, 39, who has been imprisoned since 2002. When Binh’s family visited him in Nam Ha prison on February 15, he was so thin and weak that he could not hold a…
In the Philippines, sedition charges against three journalists
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the government of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to drop sedition charges against critical The Daily Tribune publisher and two columnists. In its February 14 case against publisher Ninez Cacho-Olivares and columnists Ramon Señeres and Herman Tiu-Laurel, the government said their writing could “lead…
In Sri Lanka, Tamil freelance journalist missing in Jaffna
New York, February 16, 2007—A correspondent for two Jaffna-based dailies, Yarl Thinakkural and Valampuri, has been missing since Thursday evening after he failed to return to his home in the region of Vadamaradchi during a curfew. His father filed a report with police, who said they are investigating the disappearance, according to local media advocates…
Prominent editor released early after three years in jail
FEBRUARY 12, 2007 Li Minying, Nanfang Dushi Bao LEGAL ACTION Li, the former editor of Guangzhou-based newspaper Nanfang Dushi Bao, was released after spending more than three years in jail, half of his sentence. His colleague, former deputy editor-in-chief and General Manager Yu Huafeng, remained jailed on an eight-year sentence.
CPJ urges continued support for Radio Television Hong Kong
Dear Chief Executive Tsang: The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the future role and editorial integrity of government broadcasting in Hong Kong. Recommendations made in the Report on Review of Public Service Broadcasting in Hong Kong, written by a seven-person committee and made public on March 28, suggest that Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) might be replaced or its role diminished as Hong Kong considers establishing a public service broadcaster.
Three staffers of a trade union newspaper abducted
New York, February 6, 2007—Three staff members of Akuna, a bimonthly trade union newspaper, were seized on Monday from the suburbs of Colombo, according to news reports. The men, who are also trade union activists, may be in government custody. “We fear for the safety of the three missing newspaper staff members, and we call…