Press Freedom News and Views
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Iraqi militias use threats, violence to keep Basra press in line
February 19, 2019 1:43 PM ET
"You work against us. In your work, you criticize militias. We watched your videos and you talk against us. You will pay the price for it," an anonymous voice said on the other end of the line to freelance reporter Azhar al-Rubaie....
Chhattisgarh's plan for journalist safety law could be template for all India
February 15, 2019 12:32 PM ET
Every day for two years, freelance journalist Santosh Yadav must walk the 50 or so yards from his home to the Darbha village police station in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, to sign a register. Just one missed day could immediately land him back in prison as he awaits trial on anti-terror...
CPJ joins call for Nigeria to ensure internet and social media services remain connected during elections
February 14, 2019 5:23 PM ET
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined more than 15 rights organizations and the #KeepItOn Coalition to call for Nigerian authorities to ensure that internet and social media services remain connected during upcoming elections, and safeguard internet speeds of websites and messaging applications. In early February, Nigeria's federal government denied...
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of February 10
February 14, 2019 2:41 PM ET
Police detain two journalists in separate raids Police on February 12 detained Salih Turan, a freelance journalist who formerly worked for the U.S. government-funded broadcaster Voice of America and the Kurdish service of the Russian-state-funded outlet Sputnik, on accusations of "making propaganda of a [terrorist] organization" on social media...
CPJ joins call for Turkey to release jailed journalists
February 14, 2019 9:10 AM ET
The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined 47 members of the European Parliament and other press freedom organizations to call on Turkey to end its crackdown on the press and the mass imprisonment of journalists....
Ghana won't have press freedom without accountability
February 7, 2019 1:46 PM ET
Three bullets, fired at close range by two assassins on a black and blue Boxer motorbike on January 16, 2019, killed investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale Divela, according to Sammy Darko, a lawyer working on Divela's case. Darko told CPJ over the phone that bystanders saw it happen. Ghana's media...
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of February 2, 2019
February 7, 2019 1:36 PM ET
Court convicts parliamentary deputy and editor Barış Yarkadaş An Istanbul court on February 7 convicted Barış Yarkadaş, the parliamentary deputy for the main opposition party CHP and former chief editor of the online newspaper Gerçek Gündem, of "violating the secrecy of private life" and handed him a suspended 10-month...
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of January 28, 2019
January 31, 2019 2:55 PM ET
Düzkan starts jail term for Özgür Gündem campaignJournalist Ayşe Düzkan started serving an 18-month prison sentence in Bakırköy Women's Prison in Istanbul on January 24 over her participation in a solidarity campaign with the daily newspaper Özgür Gündem, the independent news website Bianet reported. A court sentenced Düzkan in...
From fake news to enemy of the people: An anatomy of Trump's tweets
January 30, 2019 10:00 AM ET
Since announcing his candidacy in the 2016 presidential elections to the end of his second year in office, U.S. President Donald Trump has sent 1,339 tweets about the media that were critical, insinuating, condemning, or threatening. In lieu of formal appearances as president, Trump has tweeted over 5,400 times...