Middle East & North Africa

2008

  

Eissa gets two months in jail

New York, September 29, 2008―The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the two-month jail term handed down by a Cairo appeal court to a leading Egyptian editor on Sunday.

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Egypt detains reporter covering protests

New York, September 26, 2008―The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the ongoing detention of a reporter for the independent daily Al-Dustour. Hossam Al Wakeel, 20, was arrested on Wednesday while covering protests that erupted after “the arbitrary closure” of the Al Jazeera School in the Al Ajami district in Alexandria, his lawyer, Khalaf…

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In Yemen, outspoken editor pardoned and released

New York, September 25, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release from prison today of Abdel Karim al-Khaiwani, an outspoken Yemeni editor who had been held since June on what were widely seen as retaliatory antistate charges. Al-Khaiwani, whose case was the focus of an international advocacy effort, told CPJ that he walked out…

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A freed Yemeni editor offers thanks

Yemeni editor Abdel Karim al-Khaiwani walked out of a Sana’a prison today after being granted a presidential pardon. The outspoken journalist was serving a six-year prison term on what were widely seen as retaliatory antistate charges. Al-Khaiwani, whose case was the focus of a CPJ advocacy campaign, offered his gratitude. I thank the Committee to…

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Tunisia Report: The Smiling Oppressor

Tunisia wants you to believe it is a progressive nation that protects human rights. It is, in fact, a police state that aggressively silences anyone who challenges President Ben Ali.

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CPJ alerts Rice to threats in Tunisia

Dear Secretary Rice: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to express its deep concern about the safety of Slim Boukhdhir, a Tunisian Internet journalist who has faced increasing harassment since he echoed your recent call to President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to take further steps toward media and Internet reform.

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Tunisia Report: The Smiling Oppressor: Audio Slideshow

The backstory of CPJ’s report on Tunisia

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Tunisia Report: The Smiling Oppressor: Recommendations

To the government of TunisiaCPJ calls on the government of Tunisia to implement the following recommendations aimed at bringing the country’s practices in line with international standards.

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Cleric issues fatwa against journalists and writers  

New York, September 22, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about an edict issued Saturday by a top Saudi Muslim cleric, who said that writers who challenge or criticize religious sheikhs should be fired from their jobs, flogged, and jailed. Sheikh Abdallah Ben Jabreen, a former member of the Saudi Arabia’s Establishment of…

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Recently freed journalist is abducted, threatened

New York, September 22, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the abduction for nearly two hours on Saturday of Internet journalist Slim Boukhdhir, who has been continuously harassed since he was freed in July after a politically motivated imprisonment. Boukhdhir, who spent eight months in prison for writing articles critical of President Zine…

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2008