Letters

  

Reporter assaulted after investigating police corruption

August 21, 2000 His Excellency Leonid Kuchma President of Ukraine vul. Bankivska 11 Kyiv, Ukraine Via Fax: 011-380-44-293-7364/291-6161/293-1001 Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is outraged by the recent assault on Valentina Vasilchenko, a freelance journalist from the city of Cherkassy who was apparently beaten up in retaliation for a series of articles…

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Thin-skinned officials target press

Your Excellency: On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of your country’s proclamation of independence, the Committee to Protect Journalists writes to express its grave concern about the recent deterioration of press freedom standards in the Central African Republic.

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CPJ outraged by arson attack against independent radio station

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is outraged at the recent arson attack against the editorial offices of the Banjul-based private broadcaster Radio 1 FM. While a police investigation is ongoing, sources in the Gambia told CPJ that the attack might have come in response to Radio 1 FM’s critical discussions of your government’s human-rights and other policies.

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Georgia: Local police assault journalist for covering police corruption

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is outraged by the recent assault on Vasil Silagadze, a Georgian journalist who was apparently beaten up by local police officers after he published an article alleging corruption among high-ranking law enforcement officials, including the interior minister.

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Independent Press Threatened in Many Southern African Countries Citing “Grave Concerns,” CPJ Calls on SADC To Consider Press Freedom Records Of Member States

Your Excellency, Ahead of the August 6-7 SADC Summit of Heads of State, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) wishes to express its grave concern about the deplorable state of press freedom in several SADC member states. Our research shows an alarming pattern of governments interfering with the free flow of information and using harsh, outdated laws to prosecute journalists for their work.

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Radio station owner murdered

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply saddened by yesterday’s killing of Sergey Novikov, owner of the independent radio station Vesna in the city of Smolensk. Novikov, 36, was shot and killed in the stairwell of his apartment building at around 9 p.m. on July 26. The killer, who remains at large, shot him four times and then escaped through a back door.

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Cameroon: Three journalists convicted of criminal libel for reporting on corruption at local trade union

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is outraged at the prison sentences recently imposed on three journalists from the private biweekly publication Dikalo in retaliation for their coverage of alleged corruption and mismanagement at a local trade union.

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Cuba: Jailed journalists held in deplorable conditions

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to condemn the continued imprisonment of independent journalists in Cuba, in clear violation of international law. CPJ is also deeply troubled by reports that these unjustly jailed prisoners are being denied medical care and other basic services. We urge Your Excellency to order the immediate release of the following three Cuban journalists:

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CPJ urges thorough investigation of Domnikov killing

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is gravely disturbed by the killing of journalist Igor Domnikov, a reporter and special-projects editor at the twice-weekly Moscow paper Novaya Gazeta, who died after suffering a violent assault in Moscow on the evening of May 12. We reiterate our demand for a thorough investigation of this case, as requested in our May 22 letter to Your Excellency.

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Panama: Jail for journalists as government drags heels on gag-law reform

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is concerned about the lack of progress in the reform of Panama’s “gag laws.” Two recent cases in which Panamanian journalists were sentenced to prison for allegedly defaming public officials highlight the urgency of abolishing these unjust statutes without delay.

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