Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the brutal murder of Shahid Soomro, a correspondent for the Sindhi-language newspaper Kawish. Pakistani journalists fear that Soomro, who was based in the town of Kandhkot, Sindh Province, was killed in reprisal for his reporting on abuses committed during recent general elections held on October 10.
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) continues to be alarmed by the serious irregularities in the investigation into the murder of journalist Carlos Cardoso, and we are particularly concerned for the safety of journalists whose recent reporting on the possible involvement of your family has been met by apparent intimidation.
Dear Secretary Rumsfeld: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to express concern about the reported detention without charge of Sami Muhieddine Muhammad al-Haj, a 33-year-old assistant cameraman for the Qatar-based satellite television network Al-Jazeera.
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the detention of writer Nguyen Vu Binh. At about 8 p.m. on September 25, security officials searched Binh’s home in Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, before arresting him, said CPJ sources. It is not known where Binh is being held.
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by a wave of violent attacks against journalists near the southern city of Penza. Most recently, Igor Salikov, director of information security at Propaganda publishing house, was killed soon after a newspaper printed by his employer published a series of articles alleging that local authorities were involved in corruption.
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed about legislation currently before the Argentine Senate. The bill proposes adding three articles to the Penal Code that would criminalize operating a radio station without a license, putting at risk the thousands of stations currently broadcasting without permission.
Our plan for the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan’s media is rooted in the vision of a social and political future that our people deserve and aspire to, and has been promised by our government – a free, independent and united Afghanistan, where government is the servant of the people and accountable to them; where there is peace, justice and the rule of law; and where people can build a modern society in accordance with the principles of Islam, democracy and human rights.
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply disturbed by the prison sentences handed down to Raymond Kabala and Delly Bonsange, publication director and publisher, respectively, of the independent Kinshasa daily Alerte Plus. On September 6, a Kinshasa court convicted Kabala and Bonsange of “harmful accusations” and “falsification of a public document.” Kabala was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a fine of US$200,000. Bonsange was sentenced to six months and fine of US$100,000.