China: New York Times researcher tried in Beijing court
New York, June 16, 2006—Zhao Yan, a researcher for the Beijing bureau of The New York Times, was tried today in closed proceedings on charges of leaking state secrets and fraud, 22 months after he was first detained in Shanghai. The Committee to Protect Journalists called for an end to his unjust imprisonment. No verdict…
Pakistan: Missing journalist found killed
New York, June 16, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly distressed by reports that abducted Pakistani journalist Hayatullah Khan has been found dead. International news agencies reported that Khan’s body was found today by villagers in the North Waziristan town of Mir Ali, from where he was abducted on December 5.
China: Ailing journalist sentenced to jail after reporting on corruption
New York, June 15, 2006—A county court in central China today sentenced reporter Yang Xiaoqing to one year in prison on charges of extortion after he wrote about corruption involving local officials. Yang, a reporter for China Industrial Economy News, was arrested in January and charged with extortion and blackmail. His wife, Gong Jie, said…
India: Reporter stoned to death
New York, June 15, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists called today for a full investigation into the death of Arun Narayan Dekate, a reporter with the Marathi-language daily Tarun Bharat in Nagpur, central India. Up to four unidentified men attacked Dekate on June 8 as he was riding with a friend on a motorcycle, according…
THAILAND: Acting prime minister files more criminal and civil defamation suits
New York, June 15, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Thailand’s caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s continuing use of criminal defamation charges to silence critical media outlets. The most recent charges, filed on Wednesday, targeted three Thai-language dailies, Matichon, Khao Sod and Daily News.
India: Veteran journalist escapes assassination attempt
New York, June 12, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the attempted murder of senior Indian journalist Shujaat Bukhari, a correspondent in Kashmir for The Hindu newspaper. Bukhari told CPJ his life was spared because his attacker’s gun jammed. Bukhari was forced at gunpoint by two men into a motor rickshaw on the…
Tamil journalists in London threatened
JUNE 8, 2006 Posted: June 30, 2006 TBC Radio Station ATTACKED, THREATENED Journalists at the London-based Tamil Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) received death threats from members of the Sri Lankan separatist movement Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). A group of five men attempted to break into the studio while it aired a political discussion program,…
Cambodia: Newspaper journalist arrested while covering squatter evictions
New York, June 8, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest of Cambodian journalist Hem Choun, a reporter with the occasional Khmer-language newspaper Samrek Yutethor. Chuon was arrested June 7 by military police while reporting on the eviction of squatters by security forces at Sombok Chab, 11 miles (19 kilometers) outside the capital Phnom…
Thailand: Thaksin brings criminal libel charges against newspaper
New York, June 2, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a decision by caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party to file criminal defamation charges against the newspaper Manager Daily, its editor, a columnist, and two senior executives. The charges filed on Tuesday relate to articles which alleged that Thaksin and…
Bangladesh:Party activists attack journalists and printing press
New York, May 31, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled by attacks on journalists and a newspaper in the town of Kushtia in western Bangladesh. Witnesses told local media that about 20 men, whom they recognized as activists from the ruling Bangladesh National Party (BNP), attacked the offices of Quality Press on Wednesday, damaging…