Middle East & North Africa

  

CPJ to honor five international journalists

New York, September 23, 2009—The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor courageous journalists from Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Azerbaijan with its 2009 International Press Freedom Awards at a ceremony in November. Mustafa Haji Abdinur of Somalia, Naziha Réjiba of Tunisia, Eynulla Fatullayev of Azerbaijan, and J.S. Tissainayagam of Sri Lanka have faced imprisonment, threats…

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Naziha Réjiba, Tunisia, Kalima

Awards 2009 |Announcement of the Awards | Eynulla Fatullayev | J.S. Tissainayagam  | Mustafa Haji Abdinur | Anthony Lewis OLPEC Naziha Réjiba, one of Tunisia’s most critical journalists, is editor of the independent online news journal Kalima—which is blocked in her own country. Réjiba, also known as Um Ziad, has been the target of continual…

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CPJ asks Iran to release imprisoned journalists

Dear Mr. President: While you are in New York this week to attend the United Nations General Assembly, your visit will be covered by the hundreds of journalists from around the world who are in the city for the annual gathering. But as many of these journalists report freely and openly on your speech and meetings they will no doubt be thinking of the dozens of journalists back in your country who are behind bars for trying to report on events in Iran.

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CPJ urges Iran to release journalists during Ramadan

New York, September 16, 2009—As Muslims worldwide prepare to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a time of compassion and forgiveness, the Committee to Protect Journalists today called on the Iranian authorities to release journalists who are being held behind bars.

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An Iraqi journalist in America: Finally … Red Lobster

Most of the Iraqi refugees who recently arrived in America were shocked by the economic situation here. I was prepared. I knew about the difficulties of finding a job in America, and I knew I could count on assistance from the American government through my status as a journalist with The New York Times. Even…

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Iran: CPJ calls for humanitarian release as Ramadan ends

New York, September 10, 2009—As the end of Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches, Maziar Bahari, a Canadian-Iranian national, continues to be held in an Iranian jail under deplorable conditions. The Newsweek correspondent has been detained for 80 days since he was arrested on June 21 as part of a post-election crackdown. The Committee to…

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Iranian journalist arrested, others summoned

New York, September 8, 2009—Iranian authorities arrested one journalist today while security forces summoned at least 15 who were among the signatories of a recent petition demanding the release of detained journalists, local press reported. 

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In Tunisia, court orders transfer of syndicate board

New York, September 8, 2009—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Tunisian court’s decision to recognize a pro-government board of the National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (NSTJ). Police today physically evicted members of the previous independent board from the syndicate’s offices, according to local journalists.

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Journalists interrogated over article on Moroccan king

New York, September 4, 2009–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Moroccan authorities to end an investigation of two journalists who have already been interrogated for 40 hours over an article about the health of the king. Authorities have repeatedly pressed them to reveal their sources, according to their lawyer.

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Ibrahim Jassam's photo is shown by his father in Baghdad. (Reuters/Thaier al-Sudani)

CPJ calls U.S. detention of Ibrahim Jassam unjust

CPJ called on U.S. military forces to charge or release journalist Ibrahim Jassam, who has been imprisoned in Iraq for one year as of today. Jassam, a freelance cameraman and photographer working for Reuters, has not been charged with a crime, and no evidence against him has ever been disclosed. U.S. forces have made only…

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