CPJ CALLS FOR RELEASE OF FRENCH JOURNALISTS ABDUCTED IN IRAQ
New York, August 30, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the abduction of two French journalists in Iraq and calls for their immediate and unconditional release. In a videotape aired on Saturday, August 28, by the Qatar-based Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera, a group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq claimed responsibility for abducting Christian…
CPJ CONDEMNS MURDER OF ITALIAN FREELANCE JOURNALIST
New York, August 27, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned as “senseless and reprehensible” the murder of Italian freelance journalist Enzo Baldoni, who disappeared while traveling to the southern city of Najaf last week and was kidnapped by a militant group. The Qatar-based news channel Al-Jazeera reported late yesterday that it received a video…
POLICE STORM NAJAF HOTEL, DETAIN AND THREATEN DOZENS OF JOURNALISTS
New York, August 26, 2004—Iraqi police, some masked and firing weapons, threatened and detained dozens of journalists Wednesday night at a hotel in the southern city of Najaf, where U.S. forces have battled with Shiite insurgents for several weeks. The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by this “thuggery,” Executive Director Ann Cooper said today.…
Italian journalist kidnapped; two French reporters still missing
New York, August 24, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is very concerned about the reported abduction in Iraq of Italian freelance journalist Enzo Baldoni, the 12th journalist kidnapped by an armed group in Iraq this year. A group calling itself the “Islamic Army in Iraq” claimed responsibility for the abduction and called on Italy…
Three Journalists reportedly missing
New York, August 23, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply concerned about the fate of three journalists who are missing in Iraq and have not been heard from for several days. Christian Chesnot, a reporter with Radio France-Internationale, and Georges Malbrunot, a reporter with the French daily Le Figaro, have been out of…
Abducted US Journalist, Iraqi Translator Freed
Baghdad, August 22, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release in Iraq on Sunday of U.S. journalist Micah Garen and his Iraqi translator Amir Doushi, who were abducted by gunmen on or about August 13 in the city of Nasiriyah. A CPJ representative spoke to Garen and Doushi and confirmed they are free and…
ABDUCTED JOURNALIST THREATENED
New York, August 18, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists is extremely concerned by reports today that an armed group in Iraq has threatened to kill the abducted American journalist Micah Garen in 48 hours unless U.S. forces withdraw from the city of Najaf. A group calling itself the Martyrs Brigade released video to the Qatar-based…
Cameraman for German TV killed
New York, August 17, 2004—An Iraqi cameraman working for the German television station Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) was killed August 15 in Fallujah, the station confirmed today. Mahmoud Hamid Abbas, 32, also worked as a producer and editor for the public television broadcaster. ZDF said in a statement that Abbas had called the station August…
Authorities ban journalists from NajafBan later lifted
New York, August 16, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns attempts during the weekend by Iraqi authorities to bar media from the Iraqi city of Najaf, where U.S. and Iraqi forces have been fighting Shiite insurgents. According to CPJ sources in Iraq, most journalists were forced to leave the city as a result of…