How Myanmar became the world’s second-worst jailer of journalists
Myanmar has catapulted in the rankings of the Committee to Protect Journalists’ annual census of jailed journalists, the repressive upshot of a democracy-suspending February 1 coup that saw authorities suppress news coverage of their harsh clampdown on anti-military protesters. At least 26 journalists were imprisoned in Myanmar for their reporting as of December 1, compared with…
New libel complaint against Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa
New York, December 7, 2021 – As Maria Ressa flies to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, the #HoldtheLine Coalition has condemned ongoing State-linked legal harassment of the Nobel Laureate after new libel complaints were filed against Ressa’s Rappler and six other news organizations – by a senior member of the Philippine cabinet. The complaints…
Two Myanmar journalists injured, arrested while covering anti-military protest
Bangkok, December 7, 2021 – Myanmar authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalists Kaung Sett Lin and Hmu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun, who were arrested after sustaining injuries covering anti-military protests, and ensure that those responsible for injuring the journalists are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Authorities arrested photojournalist…
Ahead of Nobel Prize, #HoldTheLine Coalition Demands Charges Against Maria Ressa be Dropped
New York, December 2, 2021 – One week ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, the #HoldtheLine Coalition calls on the government of the Philippines to drop all pending cases and charges against veteran journalist and Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and grant her unrestricted permission to travel to Oslo to accept this prestigious international…
Sri Lanka army soldiers attack Tamil journalist covering commemoration for civil war dead
Washington, D.C., December 2, 2021 — Sri Lanka authorities must immediately open a new, impartial investigation into the attack on freelance journalist Vishwalingam Vishwachandran and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 27, a group of soldiers with the Sri Lanka army allegedly beat Vishwachandran, who contributes to…
Journalist Ahmad Baseer Ahmadi severely beaten in Afghanistan
Washington, D.C., November 24, 2021 — The Taliban must thoroughly investigate the recent attack on journalist Ahmad Baseer Ahmadi and do everything in their power to protect the safety of members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 5:30 p.m. on November 18, in Kabul, the capital, two unidentified men…
At least 5 journalists injured amid clashes over local elections in Tripura, India
New Delhi, November 24, 2021 — Indian authorities must conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the recent attacks on journalists in the eastern state of Tripura, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 21, in the run-up to municipal elections scheduled to begin tomorrow, groups of people allegedly working for the ruling…
CPJ calls on Facebook to restore press freedom awards video following takedown
New York, November 24, 2021—The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Facebook to restore a video honoring the winners of the International Press Freedom Awards (IPFA) at CPJ’s annual awards ceremony held on November 18 and streamed on social media during the event. Less than an hour after the stream ended, Facebook notified…
How China’s Huawei technology is being used to censor news halfway across the world
When a staffer at the independent media website Iwacu in the central African state of Burundi tried to visit the outlet online in late October, they received an error message instead. “Hum. Nous ne parvenons pas à trouver ce site;” the site could not be found – even though the local media regulator had promised…
CPJ honors journalists who risk their lives for press freedom
November 19, 2021—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) paid tribute Thursday to brave journalists from Guatemala, Mozambique, and Myanmar by presenting them with CPJ’s 2021 International Press Freedom Awards (IPFA) in New York. CPJ also honored Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai with its 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award. “The journalists we are honoring…