Middle East & North Africa

We received a large package from the Tunisian Embassy in Washington on Friday. The package contained an official response to our September special report, “The Smiling Oppressor” and a hefty collection of Tunisian newspapers and individual articles that the government says demonstrates a “liberal and pluralistic media landscape” under President Zine El Abidine’s 21-year rule.…

Since 2001, CPJ has documented the cases of 340 journalists forced into exile after their reporting exposed them to harassment, violence, or imprisonment. They face many difficulties in their new homes, from language and cultural adjustments to emotional and economic hardships. Here are five snapshots of journalists in exile.

New York, November 13, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes a decision from a court in Iraqi Kurdistan today to reject a one-month prison sentence and fine against journalist Shwan Dawdi.

Dear Minister Jamil, The Committee to Protect Journalists brings your attention to a one-month prison sentence handed down last week by the criminal court in Sulaymaniyah in contravention of the region’s new press law.

New York, November 7, 2008–On the 21st anniversary of the coup that brought Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to power, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on the longtime leader to end his government’s repressive media tactics.

New York, November 6, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the continued imprisonment of an Egyptian blogger jailed two years ago on Friday.

New York, November 5, 2008–The Iraqi Kurdistan court of appeals should act immediately to overturn a judge’s ruling on Tuesday to impose a one-month prison term against a journalist who published critical reports about the Sulaymaniyah courthouse, CPJ said today. The journalist’s lawyer said newly adopted legislation does not appear to allow such a prison…

New York, November 4, 2008–CPJ is deeply concerned by the decisions of the Moroccan, Tunisian, and Algerian‎ governments to ban the new issue of L’Express magazine carrying a series of articles about Islam and Christianity.

New York, October 31, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Moroccan appeals court decision to uphold heavy damages and a fine against an editor of a leading independent daily in a defamation case, which could force the paper to close.

New York, October 30, 2008–A Jordanian editor battling a lawsuit filed by a governor will be held for 15 days while an investigation is completed, the Jordanian military court ruled on Tuesday.