Middle East & North Africa

2013

  
Hassan Rouhani leaves a conference in Tehran on June 29. Iran's president-elect called his win in national elections this month a vote for change. (AP/Office of the President-elect)

Rouhani can take steps to improve Iran press freedom

After eight hellish years for Iran’s journalists under outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the election of Hassan Rouhani was welcomed with hope for a better future. As soon as he takes office in August, he should act on his view and take steps to protect journalists in Iran.

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Egypt's interim president, Adly Mansour. (Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

Egyptian authorities step up censorship

New York, July 5, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that Egypt’s new military-run government is detaining journalists and censoring news outlets, including those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, despite proclaiming an intention to be inclusive. 

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Authorities moved swiftly to shut down coverage of pro-Morsi events such as this rally in Cairo. (AP/Hassan Ammar)

Al-Jazeera station raided, 3 others shut in Egypt

New York, July 3, 2013–Authorities in Egypt’s new military-run government raided Al-Jazeera’s Egyptian station today, disrupting its service, and shut down at least three stations supportive of Mohamed Morsi in a worrying series of moves that seemed designed to cut off coverage of pro-Morsi events, according to news accounts.

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Tahrir Square erupts after the army ousts Morsi. (AP/Amr Nabil)

Attacks in Egypt highlight risk of covering protests

From São Paulo to Istanbul to Cairo, coverage of street demonstrations has re-emerged as an exceptionally dangerous assignment for journalists. Since June 1, CPJ has documented more than 120 attacks on the press amid the civil unrest in Brazil, Turkey, and Egypt–the biggest surge of attacks in such circumstances since the uprisings that swept the Arab world…

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Military special forces march to surround supporters of Mohammed Morsi in Nasr City, Cairo, on Wednesday. (AP/Hassan Ammar)

Egypt’s army must exercise restraint with state media

New York, July 3, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on the Egyptian military to refrain from exercising editorial control over state-owned media as the country’s political crisis deepens.

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Iraqi journalists accused of stealing notebook released

Three Iraqi journalists were released on bail June 20, 2013, after being held for two weeks by the Ministry of Defense for purportedly stealing an official’s notebook.

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Opponents of Mohammed Morsi wave national flags at a protest outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Monday. (AP/Nariman El-Mofty)

Journalist dead, several attacked in Egypt

New York, July 1, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned about the security of journalists covering ongoing mass protests in Egypt. One journalist was killed and six others were injured while covering demonstrations against President Mohamed Morsi over the weekend, according to news reports.

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The government is directing satellite channels to curb their coverage of the protests this weekend. (AP)

Egypt warns of TV shutdowns; legal threats mount

New York, June 28, 2013–Egypt’s Ministry of Investment sent notice today to all satellite television channels warning they will be shut down if the government deems that their coverage of this weekend’s political protests incites violence, insults individuals, or contradicts societal values, news reports said. Numerous journalists are also facing new legal threats in the…

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Thousands of Egyptians attended the rally organized by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. (AP/Khalil Hamra)

At nonviolence rally in Cairo, attacks against the press

New York, June 24, 2013–Several journalists were attacked and threatened in Cairo this weekend at a “Say No to Violence” rally organized by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood to call on opposition groups to ensure nonviolence on June 30, the day of planned demonstrations and strikes across the country.

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Protesters light fires during clashes between supporters and opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood. (AFP/Mohamed el-Shahed)

Journalists attacked, detained covering protests in Egypt

New York, June 20, 2013–At least four journalists were attacked and two of them briefly detained while covering protests in Egypt on Tuesday, according to news reports that said a Muslim Brotherhood official and supporters were behind the assaults.

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2013