Middle East & North Africa

  
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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CPJ urges review of press law and unblocking of websites

Dear Prime Minister Ensour: We are writing to express our concern about the implications of Jordan’s Press and Publications Law, which was amended last year and used most recently to block more than 300 websites.

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Journalists in exile 2013

Somalis, Syrians flee violence; Iran crackdown deepens Fifty-five journalists fled their homes in the past year with help from the Committee to Protect Journalists. The most common reason to go into exile was the threat of violence, such as in Somalia and Syria, two of the most deadly countries in the world for the profession.…

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The headquarters of the Ministry Defense in Baghdad, where two journalists were arrested on June 4. (AP/Hadi Mizban)

Iraqi government detains two journalists without charge

New York, June 18, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the detention of two Iraqi journalists who have been held for two weeks without formal charge or access to a lawyer in connection with the alleged theft of a senior official’s notebook.

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