Digital media rules empower Indian government to censor online news
Digital news sites in India are on edge and expecting the worst after the government promulgated news rules in February, bringing them under regulation and further endangering the environment for press freedom in the country. The rules, in essence, give the government powers to censor website content, with little chance for appeal. In interviews with…
Proposed Venezuelan foreign funding law could have ‘huge impact’ on independent outlets
When Ewald Scharfenberg launched the investigative news website Armando.Info in 2014, about half of his start-up funds came from Venezuelan donors, subscribers, and advertisers, while overseas foundations provided the rest. But amid the worst economic crisis in Venezuela’s history, local income has disappeared, forcing Scharfenberg to rely almost entirely on international donations to keep Armando.Info…
CPJ joins open letter calling on Brazilian Congressional leaders to protect press freedom
The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined seven Brazilian and international press freedom organizations in publishing an open letter addressed to Rodrigo Pacheco, president of Brazil’s Federal Senate, and Arthur Lira, president of the Chamber of Deputies, calling on Congressional leaders to protect press freedom and journalist safety in the country. The letter, published today to…
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…
Indian journalist Sandhya Ravishankar describes ‘conflict zone for female journalists’ ahead of Tamil Nadu elections
Political campaigning in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has hit a fever pitch as the state prepares for elections on April 6. The contest is between political alliances led by the incumbent All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the main opposition party. The campaigns pose heightened…
Mission Journal: ‘Trench warfare’ in Polish press as government eyes next election cycle
“Media without choice.” On February 10, this sentence ran on the otherwise empty front page of Gazeta Wyborcza, the largest critical newspaper in Poland. On the same day, Radio ZET, a commercial radio station, ran this message on repeat, evoking the country’s communist past: “You will not hear any of our normal broadcasts today…We are…
Jailed under Digital Security Act, Bangladeshi cartoonist Kabir Kishore says he was tortured
Bangladeshi cartoonist Kabir Kishore’s first stop after he was released from prison on March 4 after 10 months in custody was the hospital, where he was treated for a burst eardrum, leg injuries, diabetes, and other ailments after being taken from his home, jailed, and allegedly tortured. Days before his release, his colleague Mushtaq Ahmed, a co-accused…
CPJ, partner organizations call on Council of Europe to take action against SLAPP lawsuits
CPJ has joined over 100 civil society organizations to call on the Council of Europe to issue a recommendation to address strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) in Europe. SLAPPs are abusive lawsuits filed by powerful officials, businesspeople, or corporations against individuals, including critical journalists or news outlets, to restrict or censor critical reporting. They…
‘I had escaped death’: 64 Tianwang journalist Wang Jing recounts her traumatic imprisonment in China
Most journalists jailed in China are afraid to speak out after their release. In a rare interview, Wang Jing, who is now in the United States seeking asylum, has recounted her imprisonment and alleged torture in China. Wang was arrested in 2014 when she was reporting on a protest for the now-defunct news outlet 64 Tianwang. In…
EU adopts new export control rules on surveillance technology
The European Union yesterday adopted a new regulation on exports of dual-use surveillance technology by EU-based companies. The legislation seeks to prevent human rights harm, including in countries where journalists are targeted and under surveillance because of their work. CPJ joined six other freedom of expression and human rights organizations in a statement welcoming the…