Middle East & North Africa

  

Getting Away With Murder

CPJ’s 2016 Global Impunity Index spotlights countries where journalists are slain and the killers go free By Elisabeth Witchel, CPJ Impunity Campaign Consultant Published October 27, 2016. Some of the highest rates of impunity in the murders of journalists can be attributed to killings by Islamist militant groups, CPJ found in its latest Global Impunity…

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Kurdish fighters attack a building where militants were believed to be hiding in Kirkuk, October 21, 2016. (Reuters/Ako Rasheed)

Iraqi journalist killed in Kirkuk fighting

New York, October 21, 2016 – An Iraqi journalist was killed today covering fighting between militants from the Islamic State group and Kurdish security forces, according to news reports. The killing came as at least seven journalists were injured in the past two days while covering the joint offensive to reclaim the city of Mosul…

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Number of journalists who covered corruption who were killed in relation to their work since 1992, by country. (Mehdi Rahmati/CPJ research)

Protecting journalists who cover corruption is good for the bottom line

Corruption is one of the most dangerous beats for journalists, and one of the most important for holding those in power to account. There is growing international recognition that corruption is also one of the biggest impediments to poverty reduction and good governance. This is why journalists on this beat must be protected, including by…

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Jeroen Oerlemans, a freelance photojournalist, was killed covering clashes in Sirte, Libya. (Stanislav Krupar)

Dutch photojournalist Jeroen Oerlemans killed in Libya

New York, October 2, 2016 – Dutch freelance photojournalist Jeroen Oerlemans was killed today in the Libyan city of Sirte while covering clashes between Islamic State fighters and forces loyal to the Libyan Army, according to Dutch and Libyan news outlets.

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Journalists protest the jailing of their colleagues to mark World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2016, at the Journalists' Syndicate in Cairo. (Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

Four journalists arrested in Egypt

New York, September 30, 2016 – Egyptian authorities should immediately drop all charges against four journalists arrested in Cairo this week, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The three journalists still in detention told their lawyer security forces had beaten and electrocuted them during interrogation.

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Oman sentences three journalists to prison

New York, September 26, 2016 – An Omani court today sentenced three journalists from the independent newspaper Azamn to prison and ordered the newspaper closed after it published allegations of judicial corruption, according to human rights groups and news reports.

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Jordanian commentator Nahed Hattar shot to death in Jordan

Washington, September 25, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today’s assassination of controversial Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar outside an Amman court, where he was facing charges of “insulting religion” in connection with a cartoon he shared on Facebook, according to news reports. Relatives at the scene apprehended his killer, the reports said.

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Residents of Tehran read the front pages of newspapers in this December 4, 2011, file photo. (Reuters/Raheb Homavandi)

Two journalists arrested in Iran

New York, September 22, 2016 – Iranian authorities should immediately release two reformist journalists arrested in recent days and stop jailing the media for doing their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At the time of his arrest, pro-government media described Sadra Mohaqeq, the editor of the reformist newspaper Shargh Daily, as an…

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CPJ Newsletter: Exhibit of jailed photographer’s work moves to Photoville, journalist released from jail, and we join our partners at the UN

October edition Next stop for exhibit of Shawkan’s work: Photoville In mid-September, CPJ partnered with the Bronx Documentary Center to hold an exhibition of photographs taken by Mahmoud Abou Zeid, or Shawkan, a freelance journalist who has been imprisoned in Egypt since August 2013. Many of Shawkan’s photos–from protests and celebrations in Tahrir Square to…

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President Hassan Rouhani, pictured at a press conference in March 2016, has submitted a draft bill to parliament that proposes creating a state-regulated organization to oversee the country's press. (AFP/Atta Kenare)

Why proposed bill could mean the end of independent journalism in Iran

The Iranian government will address the United Nation’s General Assembly this month for the last time before President Hassan Rouhani seeks re-election next year. The international appearance would be a good chance for Rouhani’s administration to discuss its record in office.

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