Dear Mr. President, As an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide, we welcome the provisional release from prison of four Senegalese journalists arrested in recent weeks because of their critical stories. We believe that the government’s continued use of criminal defamation and insult laws to jail and prosecute journalists undermines Senegal’s democratic credentials. We are calling on you to use your influence to finally implement your 2004 pledge to repeal criminal penalties for press offenses, including defamation.
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned that one year after the death of journalist Bradley Roland Will nobody has been brought to justice. Further, we are troubled by the absence of a serious murder investigation and the lack of official response to witness reports and photographs from the murder scene that identify several armed men shooting into the crowd where Will was present.
Dear President Bush: In advance of your meeting with the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Joseph Kabila, the Committee to Protect Journalists would like to draw your attention to the acute problem of impunity in cases of violence against media workers. CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide.
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists urges you to use all of the resources of your office to ensure that a thorough, timely, independent, and transparent investigation is undertaken into the slaying of prominent journalist Alisher Saipov, who was shot in southern Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday.
Dear Prime Minister, We are writing to express our deep concern about the whereabouts, legal status and health of Eritrean journalists Tesfalidet Kidane Tesfazghi and Saleh Idris Gama of Eritrean state broadcaster Eri-TV. Official statements and videotape indicate that your government has been holding them incommunicado after their arrests by Kenyan authorities late last year during fighting in Somalia.
New York, October 11, 2007 Mr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez President of the Republic of Colombia Casa de Nariño Bogotá D.C., Colombia Via facsimile: 011-571-337-5890 Dear Mr. President: We strongly object to your recent accusations against two prominent journalists. Your strident and personal comments have resulted in multiple death threats against these journalists and have forced…
Your Excellency, One year after the assassination of Novaya Gazeta investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya, the response by your nation’s law enforcement, judicial, and political institutions remains under intense international scrutiny. In Russia and across the world, leaders and citizens expect an investigation that is diligent, transparent, and free of political influence. Thus far, the signals have not been encouraging.
Dear Dr. Bhattarai: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the use of violence and intimidation by members of Maoist-affiliated organizations to disrupt the circulation of newspapers produced by Kantipur Publications, Nepal’s largest private news company. Shalik Ram Jamkattel, a Maoist parliamentarian and chairman of the powerful All Nepal Trade Union Federation, has also issued a public threat to forcibly shut down Kantipur Television within days if the group’s demands are not met.
Dear President Rajapaksa: The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned by your government’s unwarranted attacks in various media on Iqbal Athas, associate editor and defense correspondent for The Sunday Times. Officials representing your government have effectively equated Athas’ critical journalism with terrorism, a wholly inappropriate position.
Dear Sens. Kennedy and Smith, I am writing to you as executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists to express our concern for the safety of Iraqi journalists and others who now may find themselves imperiled for having helped U.S.-based and U.S.-backed media organizations report the news from Iraq. We would therefore like to express our support for the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act Senate Amendment #2872 to H.R. 1585 Department of Defense Authorization, which you recently co-sponsored. CPJ is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide and the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.