Dear Secretary Rumsfeld: A delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today delivered more than 600 petitions to the Eritrean ambassador to the United States. The petitions, signed by prominent U.S. journalists who attended the CPJ benefit dinner in November, urge Eritrea’s president Isaias Afewerki to immediately and unconditionally release Eritrean editor Fesshaye Yohannes,…
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the detention of free-lance photographer Jae Hyun Seok, a South Korean national. On January 17, Seok was photographing two groups of about 60 North Korean refugees in Yantai, Shandong Province, who were trying to board two fishing boats bound for Cheju Island, South Korea, and Sasebo…
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the recent police raid on the offices of the online newspaper Malaysiakini, one of the few independent news outlets in Malaysia. Though police have not yet filed any charges against the publication, authorities said they are investigating the online paper for sedition. Earlier today, January…
Your Excellency: We the undersigned join the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in protesting the detention of our colleague Ibrahim Hemaidi, the Damascus bureau chief for the London-based daily Al-Hayat. Syrian authorities arrested Hemaidi on December 23, 2002, because of an article he wrote for Al-Hayat about alleged preparations by the Syrian government for an…
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the prolonged detention of journalist Saleem Samad, who remains in government custody on charges of “anti-state activities” after working with a documentary crew for Britain’s Channel 4 “Unreported World” series. On December 24, government authorities ordered that Samad remain in custody for 30 more days, despite…
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to strongly protest the ongoing detention of Ibrahim Hemaidi, the veteran Damascus bureau chief for the London-based daily Al-Hayat. According to media reports and sources at Al-Hayat, Syrian police detained Hemaidi on December 23 in connection with a December 20 article he wrote. The article discussed the Syrian government’s alleged preparations for a possible influx of Iraqi refugees in the event of a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. The Syrian government has denied the allegation, and Al-Hayat published a statement from the Syrian government to this effect on December 24.
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is gravely concerned by the recent arrests of several Bangladeshi journalists who have worked with foreign news agencies. We are especially concerned that journalists Priscilla Raj and Saleem Samad, who were charged with sedition after working with a documentary crew from Britain’s Channel 4 “Unreported World” series, remain in detention and have allegedly been tortured in government custody.
Mr. President: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is gravely concerned about increasing attacks against and intimidation of journalists, which has fostered a climate of fear among members of the press. It is critical in the months leading up to the 2003 presidential elections that journalists are able to report freely on the grave problems facing Argentina, including a collapsing economy. CPJ has documented several disturbing instances in which journalists have been targeted with physical aggression and harassment during the last seven weeks. None of the perpetrators have been brought to justice.
Dear Secretary Ip: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the defense of press freedom worldwide, is submitting the attached memorandum in response to the Consultation Document on proposals to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law. In CPJ’s view, the legislation as proposed presents a grave threat to freedom of expression in Hong Kong.
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed by the numerous attacks against Venezuelan journalists during the last three weeks. The two latest incidents, which occurred this week during a strike by the political opposition, the country’s largest workers’ union, and an association of businesses, are particularly worrying because state security forces were either involved in the aggressions or did little to stop them.