CPJ Middle East and North Africa program

CPJ, other groups urge Biden administration not to waive human rights conditions on Egypt aid

The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined 13 other civil society groups in sending an open letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Jake Sullivan, assistant to the president for national security affairs, urging the Biden administration not to waive human rights conditions in sending military aid to Egypt for fiscal year 2020.  In…

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CPJ joins call for Moroccan authorities to release journalist Omar Radi, ensure fair trial

Yesterday, CPJ and 14 other civil society groups urged Moroccan authorities to release Le Desk investigative reporter Omar Radi, who has been in pretrial detention since his arrest on July 29, 2020, and to ensure that he receives a fair trial. Radi’s trial on charges of sexual assault and undermining state security was set to begin today, but the main…

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Morocco’s new tactic to punish journalists: charge them with sex crimes

Moroccan journalists Taoufik Bouachrine, Soulaiman Raissouni, and Omar Radi have a lot in common. All three have a nose for corruption, penning op-eds or investigations alleging government abuse. And all three have been charged with or sentenced to prison for sex crimes.  Press freedom advocates and the journalists’ family members told CPJ that Moroccan authorities are using trumped up…

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