Amid wave of defamation cases, CPJ joins call for Morocco to drop charges against press
New York, November 13, 2015–CPJ has joined Free Press Unlimited and seven other organizations in a statement of support for seven Moroccan journalists and human rights defenders who will face trial on November 19, on charges ranging from defamation to harming national security. One of the journalists, Hicham Mansouri, is already behind bars on an…
CPJ joins call for UN members to push Iran on rights
The Committee to Protect Journalists has joined 35 other organizations in calling on member states of the U.N. General Assembly to vote in favor of a resolution for the promotion and protection of human rights in Iran. The vote is scheduled to take place during the 70th session of the General Assembly on November 19.
CPJ calls on Egypt to release investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat
New York, November 8, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat. Bahgat, who writes for Mada Masr, a progressive website that publishes news and opinion in English and Arabic, faces charges of publishing false news and is being held overnight by military prosecutors, according to Mada…
In Jordan, TV anchor charged under cybercrimes law for Facebook post
Washington D.C., November 6, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Jordan to release TV anchor Tareq Abu al-Ragheb who was arrested Tuesday for posting allegedly insulting comments on Facebook, according to reports.
Iran steps up pressure on media with arrests of at least five journalists
New York, November 4, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by news reports that Iranian authorities have recently detained at least five local journalists, including the reformist journalists Issa Saharkhiz and Ehsan Mazandarani, and reporter Saman Sarfarzaee, who were all arrested Monday.
CPJ calls for investigation into murder of Syrian journalists in Turkey
New York, October 30, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Turkish authorities to investigate and bring to justice the murderers of two Syrian journalists found slain in an apartment in the city of Urfa in southeastern Turkey today. Ibrahim Abd al-Qader worked as the executive director and Fares Hamadi as head of the…
We need a free press to succeed, Tunisia’s leaders tell CPJ
Prime Minister vows to protect journalists Tunis, October 28, 2015–Tunisia’s senior leadership vowed in meetings with the Committee to Protect Journalists in Tunis on Wednesday to uphold press freedom as the country transitions to democracy, and to protect journalists assaulted by security forces or threatened by extremists.
In Tunisia, press freedom erodes amid security fears
Hard-earned press freedom in Tunisia is under threat as journalists are squeezed between violent extremists and security services sensitive to criticism in the wake of deadly terror attacks. While Islamist militants threaten the media, the government introduces restrictive legislation and security forces legally harass and even assault journalists. In this climate, which is further restricted…
Egypt arrests three journalists in five days, whereabouts of two unknown
New York, October 26, 2015–At least three journalists have been arrested in the past five days in Egypt, and the whereabouts of two of them are unknown, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egyptian authorities to disclose the reasons for the journalists’ arrests and release them immediately.