Letters

  

Angola: Rafael Marques forbidden to travel

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) strongly protests your government’s continued harassment of journalist Rafael Marques, who was refused the right to leave the country this morning despite official assurances, and a signed court order, stating clearly that all travel restrictions against him had been lifted.

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Slovakia: Journalist sentenced for defaming his country

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to express its dismay over recent defamation charges brought against Vladimir Mohorita, a journalist with the Slovak weekly Zmena. On March 16, Mohorita received a registered letter from the Bratislava 2 Regional Court informing him that unspecified, undated criminal charges had been filed against him. Mohorita received another registered letter two days later, explaining that the charges had in fact been filed two weeks earlier. The letter added that, having reached a decision on March 7, the court was sentencing him to four months in prison under Article 102 of the Slovak Penal Code for “publicly defaming the country and its officials.”

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Ukraine: Editor assaulted by public official

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the recent beating of Oleg Liachko, editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Svoboda. We demand that the attack be investigated immediately and that the assailant — a prominent public official–be held accountable for his actions.

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Three newspapers banned for alleging prime minister’s involvement in 1972 coup attempt

Your Majesty: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to protest the Moroccan government’s decision to ban the weekly newspapers Demain, Le Journal, and Al-Sahiffa. On December 2, the government released a statement saying the three newspapers were banned because they had attacked “the most sacred institutional bases of our country” and threatened “the stability of the state.” The statement added: “In insulting reality … and fabricating history, these papers have created doubt and sowed confusion in the spirit of Moroccans.”

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Indonesia: Police detain Swiss journalist in Irian Jaya

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned by the prolonged detention of Swiss journalist Oswald Iten in Jayapura, Irian Jaya, on suspicion that he violated Indonesia’s immigration laws by reporting without a press visa.

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Government attacks newspaper for publishing national anthem parody

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply disturbed by your administration’s multi-pronged attack against the Bengali-language daily newspaper Inqilab, which has been accused of treason for publishing a parody of the Bangladesh national anthem.

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Philippines: Radio broadcaster murdered in Zamboanga del Sur

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the murder of Olimpio Jalapit, Jr., a radio broadcaster killed on November 17 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. We urge Your Excellency to ensure that the investigation into this murder is conducted in a thorough and impartial manner, so that Jalapit’s killers may be brought to justice.

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Jailed reporter’s health deteriorates

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) appeals to you to release our colleague Shodi Mardiev on humanitarian grounds. We wrote to you on January 12, 2000, with a similar request. Since that time, Mardiev’s health has deteriorated even further.

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Kashmir blast kills photographer

Dear Mr. Salahuddin: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns yesterday’s bomb attack in Srinagar, which killed one journalist and seriously injured at least six others. Pradeep Bhatia, a photographer for the Indian newspaper The Hindustan Times, was one of twelve people killed in the attack, police told reporters today.

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Newspaper office bombed in Karachi

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is dismayed by the bomb attack earlier today on the Karachi advertising office of the national Urdu-language daily Nawa-i-Waqt, a newspaper known for its aggressive political coverage.

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