Letters

  

CPJ, others request update on Egyptian journalist Alaa Abdelfattah from UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 26 press freedom and human rights organizations in an April 17 letter to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) seeking updates regarding the urgent appeal filed on November 14, 2023, about the case of jailed Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdelfattah. The appeal was submitted by 34 organizations, including…

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CPJ, others oppose the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act

The Committee to Protect Journalists, along with over 70 civil society organizations, signed a letter urging Senate leaders to oppose the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA), H.R.7888, which would dramatically expand the government’s warrantless surveillance powers without providing adequate protections for journalists. Under an amendment adopted as part of RISAA, the government could, in…

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CPJ, others welcome Council of Europe recommendations on countering SLAPPs

The Committee to Protect Journalists, as part of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), issued a Friday statement welcoming the Council of Europe’s adoption of recommendations on countering the use of SLAPPs. Strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as SLAPPs, are civil or criminal suits typically brought by individuals, institutions, or corporations to burden…

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CPJ, 27 others urge Bahraini leaders to release journalist Abduljalil Alsingace

On April 3, the Committee to Protect Journalists joined 27 press freedom and human rights organizations in urging Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of Bahrain, and Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince and prime minister, to immediately release journalist Abduljalil Alsingace and ensure he receives urgent medical care. The statement was…

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‘Your credibility is on the line’: CPJ, 41 others urge MFC member states to act on Gaza

Editor’s note: This letter has been updated to reflect an increased number of signatories. The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 41 other media freedom organizations in calling out the “collective official silence” of the Media Freedom Coalition member states regarding the killings of journalists in Gaza and further warned that this silence seriously diminishes their…

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The camera that belonged to Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah, who was killed by Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on October 13, is displayed at a press conference by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as they released findings from their investigations into his death in Beirut, Lebanon, on December 7, 2023.

CPJ, partners urge UN leaders to release full report on journalist Issam Abdallah’s murder

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined its international partners on Friday in signing a letter urging the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) to publish its investigation into the murder of Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah, who was killed by Israeli forces in south Lebanon on October 13, 2023. Four journalists injured in the…

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CPJ, 8 other groups urge Guatemalan leaders to expand press freedom

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has joined eight other press freedom organizations in urging Guatemala’s leaders to address the concerning decline in the country’s press freedom and its significance for democracy. In a statement issued ahead of the meeting between Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, March 25, the organizations called on the…

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Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee (center), Secretary for Justice Paul Lam (center left), and Secretary for Security Chris Tang speak to the media on March 19 about the passing of Basic Law Article 23, which CPJ and other groups say poses a threat to press freedom.

CPJ among 145 groups condemning ‘chilling effect’ of Hong Kong security law

New York, March 22, 2024—As a new national security law goes into effect in Hong Kong on Saturday, CPJ was among 145 groups across the globe that denounced the legislation, which could deepen a crackdown on human rights and further suppress media freedom in the city. Enacted under Article 23 of Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, the…

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CPJ, others call on Slovakia to withdraw repressive media bill

The Committee to Protect Journalists and seven other international press freedom organizations have called on Slovakian authorities to immediately withdraw a draft law which would effectively end the public broadcaster’s independence. The Slovak Television and Radio bill would dissolve the state-owned Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) and replace it with a new, politically controlled…

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Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a video address in Moscow ahead of the upcoming presidential election, in a picture released on March 14, 2024.

CPJ joins call for Russia to keep the internet on during presidential elections

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined #KeepItOn Coalition partners on Thursday in calling on Russian authorities and telecommunications providers to maintain free, open, and secure internet access before, during, and after presidential elections scheduled for March 15 to 17. The letter highlights Russia’s history of internet shutdowns, including the blocking of tech companies that refused…

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