Chinese Internet writer’s hunger strike reaches three weeks
New York, September 21, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is extremely concerned about the health of imprisoned freelance writer Zhang Lin, who has been on a hunger strike for three weeks. Zhang’s lawyer Mo Shaoping told CPJ that his client plans to wage the strike for 100 days to protest an unjust, five-year prison sentence…
NEPAL
SEPTEMBER 19, 2005 Posted October 11, 2005 Harihar Singh Rathour, Kathmandu Post, and Kantipur IMPRISONED Authorities detained Harihar Singh Rathour, correspondent for the Kathmandu Post and Kantipur, without charge in the mid-western district of Dailekh. Authorities threatened to hold him under the Terrorist and Destructive Activities (Control and Punishment) Ordinance for allegedly collaborating with Maoist…
Reporter arrested, 15 others flee
New York, September 19, 2005— The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the arrest today of a reporter with Kantipur publications in the mid-western district of Dailekh from which 15 independent journalists fled after being harassed by the military for their reporting of Nepal’s civil war. Authorities detained Harihar Singh Rathour, correspondent for the Kathmandu Post…
CHINA
SEPTEMBER 17, 2005 Posted October 11, 2005 Henan Shang Bao CENSORED Henan Shang Bao (Henan Business News) was suspended for a month from September 17 for “inaccurate reporting” on orders of the General Administration of Press and Publications and the Central Propaganda Department, according to the Singapore-based Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao. A reporter and an…
Mass arrest of journalists protesting media curbs
New York, September 16, 2005—Police detained more than 80 journalists today in Kathmandu ahead of a planned protest against restrictions on the media. The journalists had gathered in the capital’s Ratna Park area, where rallies are banned. The journalists were held for about four hours and released. “The authorities should not prevent protests by journalists…
Journalist among three seized by unknown attackers
New York, September 15, 2005—Unknown assailants seized a journalist, a cameraman, and a government employee in Nuristan province, near the border with Pakistan on Wednesday, local media reported. The kidnappers have made no contact with authorities, and no motive for the attack is known. A spokesman for the governor of Nuristan was quoted as saying…
AFGHANISTAN
SEPTEMBER 14, 2005 Posted October 11, 2005 Mohammed Taqi Siraj Bamyan Baseer Seerat, Kabul Film Production Company ABDUCTED Unknown assailants seized Mohammed Taqi Siraj, chief editor of the weekly Bamyan, when he was returning from Nuristan Province, where he had been working for the Kabul Film Production Company. The company was making a video about…
In Nepal, police beat journalists covering protests
New York, September 14, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns police brutality against journalists covering pro-democracy protests in Nepal. Radio journalist Tilak Mahat received four stitches on his head yesterday after police beat him at a protest at Bagh Bazar in the capital, Kathmandu. The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) said yesterday that police appeared…
NEPAL
SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 Posted October 17, 2005 Tilak Mahat, Rupandehi FM ATTACKED Mahat was attacked by police along with other journalists covering pro-democracy protests at Bagh Bazar in the capital, Kathmandu. He received four stitches for a head wound. The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) said that police appeared to be violently targeting journalists covering…