Middle East & North Africa
2021
Iran’s parliament moves forward with troubling bill to further restrict internet
Washington, D.C., November 1, 2021 — The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern today that Iran’s parliament is moving ahead with a restrictive internet bill, despite objections from citizens and international observers. The legislation, the Cyberspace Users Rights Protection and Regulation of Key Online Services Bill, was undergoing review by a parliamentary subcommittee in…
Killers of journalists still get away with murder
No one has been held to account in 81% of journalist murders during the last 10 years, CPJ’s 2021 Global Impunity Index has found. By Jennifer Dunham/CPJ Deputy Editorial Director Published October 28, 2021 Somalia remains the world’s worst country for unsolved killings of journalists, according to CPJ’s annual Global Impunity Index, which spotlights countries…
Tunisia’s media regulator shuts down Nessma TV and al-Quran al-Kareem radio station over licensing issues
New York, October 27, 2021 – Tunisian authorities should allow Nessma TV and al-Quran al-Kareem radio station to resume broadcasting immediately and stop using the country’s licensing procedures as a means of censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 11, the High Independent Authority of Audiovisual Communication (HAICA), Tunisia’s media regulatory…
Sudanese military forces arrest state television manager, pro-military protesters assault journalists amid unrest
New York, October 26, 2021 – Sudanese military authorities must immediately release journalist Maher Abugoukh, cease raiding media outlets, investigate pro-military protesters’ attacks on journalists, and ensure that telecommunications function in the wake of yesterday’s military coup in which military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan deposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and dissolved the government, the Committee to…
CPJ calls on Sudanese military to respect press freedom and journalists’ safety as coup unfolds
New York, October 25, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is watching the press freedom environment in Sudan with grave concern as it works to get independent confirmation of news reports of military raids on media outlets and internet and telecommunications outages after the country’s military seized power in a coup earlier today. The…
Houthis detain journalist Youness Abdelsalam in Yemen since August
New York, October 13, 2021 – The Ansar Allah group, known as the Houthis, must release journalist Youness Abdelsalam immediately and stop abducting and threatening members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Houthi forces detained Abdelsalam in the capital Sanaa in central Yemen on August 4 and have been holding him…
Supporters of Lebanese president storm Al-Sharq office in Beirut
New York, October 13, 2021 — Lebanese authorities must identify the people who stormed the Beirut office of daily newspaper and news website Al-Sharq and hold them to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, at least a dozen supporters of Lebanese President Michel Aoun stormed inside the Al-Sharq office and hung pictures…
Tunisian authorities arrest Zaytouna TV host Amer Ayad, confiscate channel’s equipment
New York, October 7, 2021 – Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Amer Ayad, drop all charges against him, and allow ZaytounaTV to resume its work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 3, Tunisian police arrested Ayad, a talk show host for privately owned channel Zaytouna TV, at his home…
CPJ calls on UN to renew Yemen human rights investigatory body
New York, October 6, 2021 – The United Nations Human Rights Council should renew the mandate of the Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen and support the group’s work investigating human rights abuses in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. “The U.N.’s Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen has played a critical…
