Audio Report: Worst Countries to be a Blogger
In our special report, “10 Worst Countries to be a Blogger,” CPJ names the world’s leading online oppressors. Here, Deputy Director Robert Mahoney explains why CPJ undertook this report and how it arrived at its conclusions. Listen to the mp3 on the player above, or right click here to download. (5:34) Read “10 Worst…
Third Azerbaijani journalist released from prison
We issued the following statement after authorities released Ali Hasanov, editor of the pro-government daily Ideal, who had been serving a six-month jail term for criminal defamation. The journalist served all but one month of his sentence and was freed under the Pardon Act passed by parliament last month…
Two imprisoned journalists released in Azerbaijan
New York, April 9, 2009–Following today’s release of independent journalists Sakit Zakhidov and Asif Marzili in Azerbaijan, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged Azerbaijani authorities to free the remaining journalists serving jail terms on trumped-up criminal charges.
Border guards deny Romanian journalists entry to Moldova
New York, April 8, 2009–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Moldovan authorities today to allow Romanian journalists to enter Moldova and report on anti-communist rallies that have swept Moldova’s capital, Chisinau, since Monday. Approximately 10,000 protesters took to the streets on Tuesday to protest Sunday’s parliamentary election, which was won by President Vladimir Voronin’s…
Azerbaijani court orders editor jailed on defamation charge
New York, April 8, 2009–A district court in Baku has sentenced Asif Marzili, editor-in-chief of the independent weekly Tezadlar, to one year in prison on charges of defaming managers and professors of Azerbaijan International University, the Azeri Press Agency reported. Ruling on Tuesday, the court also handed down a six-month suspended corrective labor sentence to…
Corrupt Russian police are a ‘dark force’ against press
Leonid Nikitinsky has a dry sense of humor. “Unless you are killed in a very interesting way, don’t come and see me,” he told an audience at CPJ’s offices on Thursday. There are, after all, too many murders for him to cover, said Nikitinsky, right, a court reporter for Russia’s Novaya Gazeta.
Russia must investigate intimidation
We issued the following statement after press reports that the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta received a package containing severed donkey ears at its Moscow offices on Tuesday. The package came with a sign “from the administration of the president of the Russian Federation,” the business daily Kommersant reported…
Russian newspaper founder arrested, criminally charged
New York, April 1, 2009–Police in the western city of Kaliningrad should drop trumped-up bribery charges against Arseny Makhlov, the founder of the independent weekly Dvornik, and allow him to work without fear of harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.