Exiled Bangladeshi journalist Zulkarnain Saer Khan decries Weekly Blitz smear campaign
U.K.-based exiled Bangladeshi journalist Zulkarnain Saer Khan told the Committee to Protect Journalists that the Bangladeshi tabloid Weekly Blitz has since late September published a series of articles falsely accusing him of acting as an operative for the Palestinian militant group Hamas and engaging in criminal activities. The articles have been reviewed by CPJ. Several…
Bangladeshi student journalists Abdul Alim and Abu Sayed Rony attacked on university campus
New York, November 13, 2023—Bangladeshi authorities must investigate the recent beating of student journalists Abdul Alim and Abu Sayed Rony and hold the perpetrators accountable, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. At around 2:30 p.m. on November 9, around 20 men, allegedly members of the ruling Awami League party’s student wing Chhatra League, beat…
Two Sri Lankan journalists questioned, harassed following protest coverage
New York, November 8, 2023—Sri Lankan authorities must immediately drop any investigation into freelance Tamil journalists Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran and Valasingham Krishnakumar in retaliation for their reporting and allow them to work without interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On October 28, a police officer separately interrogated Sasikaran and Krishnakumar at their homes in…
Filipino radio journalist Juan Jumalon shot dead while live broadcasting
Bangkok, November 6, 2023—Philippine authorities must launch a swift and thorough investigation into the killing of radio journalist Juan Jumalon, determine if he was targeted for his work, and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On Sunday morning, an assailant entered Jumalon’s home-based radio station pretending to be a listener and shot him twice during his…
Myanmar junta raids Rakhine State news agency, arrests journalist
Bangkok, November 3, 2023—Myanmar’s military regime must immediately release Rakhine State journalist Htet Aung and allow the independent Development Media Group news agency to operate freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Sunday, soldiers arrested Development Media Group reporter Htet Aung while he was taking photos of soldiers making donations to Buddhist monks…
CPJ, partners call for journalists’ protection in Vietnam ahead of country’s human rights review
New York, November 2, 2023—Journalists in Vietnam are facing widespread threats and mistreatment, and have been routinely detained or imprisoned for their reporting and commentary, according to a joint submission to the United Nations prepared by the Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. The joint submission is being released…
At least 27 Bangladeshi journalists attacked, harassed while covering political rallies
New York, November 1, 2023 – Bangladesh authorities must immediately and impartially investigate the assaults on at least 27 journalists covering recent political rallies and hold the perpetrators accountable, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Saturday, October 28, at least 27 journalists covering rallies in the capital of Dhaka were attacked by supporters…
Faces of impunity across the world
CPJ’s 2023 Global Impunity Index lists the top 12 countries where the murderers of journalists go free. But impunity knows no borders. The mosaic below shows the faces of slain journalists around the world. Beneath each journalist’s photo is the location of their death. Click the images for more details about these unsolved cases. (Photo grid by Geoff McGhee)
Haiti joins list of countries where killers of journalists most likely to go unpunished
By Arlene Getz/CPJ Editorial Director The persistent lack of justice for murdered reporters is a major threat to press freedom. Ten years after the United Nations declared an international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists – and more than 30 years after CPJ began documenting these killings – almost 80% of their killings…
CPJ calls on Sri Lanka to reconsider bills likely to undermine press freedom
New York, October 18, 2023—Sri Lankan authorities should withdraw the proposed Online Safety Bill and Anti-Terrorism Bill or significantly amend them in line with international human rights standards, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. In parliament on October 3, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles tabled the Online Safety Bill, which would empower a five-member…