Asia

  

Dutch journalist Sjoerd den Daas and camera operator detained by Chinese police while covering protest

Taipei, March 5, 2024—Chinese authorities must respect foreign journalists’ right to report in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday after police detained Sjoerd den Daas, a Dutch correspondent with the Dutch public broadcaster NOS, and his camera operator while they covered a protest last week.  Den Daas and a camera operator were…

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Journalist Aasif Sultan is seen outside Saddar Court in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on September 8, 2018. (Photo by Muzamil Mattoo)

Kashmiri journalist Aasif Sultan re-arrested hours after arriving home from jail

New York, March 4, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday expressed alarm over the re-arrest of Kashmiri journalist Aasif Sultan two days after he was freed from more than five years of arbitrary detention and called on Indian authorities to immediately cease harassing him in retaliation for his work. On February 27, Sultan was…

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People board a bus in Hong Kong, China, on February 27, 2024.

CPJ calls on Hong Kong to scrap proposed law that could further criminalize critical reporting

Taipei, March 1, 2024—The Hong Kong government must immediately halt plans to introduce new national security legislation that could strangle the city’s news industry by introducing new offenses including “acts of seditious intention” and “theft of state secrets,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On January 30, Hong Kong’s security bureau published a “public…

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CPJ, partners offer new leads in murder case of Philippine journalist Gerry Ortega

Manila, March 1, 2024—The “A Safer World for the Truth” initiative—a coalition of three international press freedom organizations—met with the Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to provide new and actionable information that could lead to the arrest of the alleged mastermind behind the 2011 murder of radio journalist Gerry…

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Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor arrested after responding to summons for questioning

New York, February 26, 2024—Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency arrested independent journalist Asad Ali Toor on Monday after he was ordered to appear for questioning in connection to an alleged “explicit and malicious” campaign against Supreme Court judges, according to news reports and the journalist’s lawyer, Imaan Mazari-Hazir, who spoke to CPJ. Toor operates Asad Toor…

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Indian journalist Jyotiranjan Mohapatra attacked with sword in Bhubaneswar

New Delhi, February 23, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday called upon the authorities in the eastern Indian state of Odisha to prosecute those responsible for the assault on Jyotiranjan Mohapatra, a reporter with privately owned news broadcaster Bada Khabar TV. At around 11 p.m. on February 10, four unidentified individuals on two motorcycles…

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Journalist Santu Pan of Republic Bangla is arrested by police live on air in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, on February 19, 2024.

Indian journalist Santu Pan arrested, 3 others assaulted in West Bengal violence

New Delhi, February 21, 2024—Indian authorities must drop the charges against journalist Santu Pan, who was arrested live on air while reporting on allegations of abuse by West Bengal officials, and investigate the earlier assault of three journalists reporting on clashes related to one of those officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday….

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Chinese director Chen Pinlin arrested over White Paper protest documentary  

Taipei, February 22, 2024—Chinese authorities must immediately release documentary director Chen Pinlin, drop all legal proceedings, and allow journalists to document demonstrations, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On February 18, Chinese authorities charged Chen, who published a documentary on anti-COVID restriction protests in late 2023, with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” according to…

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Police stand guard in Kathmandu, Nepal, on November 25, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Prakash Mathema)

Nepali journalists Aishwarya Kunwar, Puskar Bhatt arrested under cybercrime law

On February 10, police in Kanchanpur district of western Sudurpaschim province arrested Aishwarya Kunwar, a reporter for the privately owned news website Nigarani Khabar, and Puskar Bhatt, a correspondent for the privately owned broadcaster Mountain Television, following their reporting and social media commentary on allegations of police misconduct, according to the local advocacy organizations Media…

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French journalist Vanessa Dougnac leaves India after journalism permit revoked

New York, February 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Indian authorities to immediately reinstate French reporter Vanessa Dougnac’s journalism permit and cease using legal technicalities to prevent journalists from carrying out their duties. Indian authorities compelled Dougnac, a former South Asia correspondent for multiple international news organizations who is married to an Indian citizen,…

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