Middle East & North Africa

New York, November 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the weekend release of Radio Free Iraq correspondent Jumana al-Obaidi, who was held by kidnappers for nearly two weeks. The station’s parent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), said al-Obaidi was abducted from a car while on her way to a scheduled assignment at the Iraqi…

New York, November 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the weekend release of Radio Free Iraq correspondent Jumana al-Obaidi, who was held by kidnappers for nearly two weeks. The station’s parent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), said al-Obaidi was abducted from a car while on her way to a scheduled assignment at the Iraqi…

See also: Journalists killed   |   Journalists abducted   |   Media workers killed SPECIAL REPORTS: Heading into Danger An Iraqi reporter must hide his profession even as he is compelled to follow its demands. By Bassam Sebti From Dangerous Assignments, Spring/Summer 2006 A Hostage’s OrdealMicah Garen thought his Iraqi captors would behead him….

Elisabeth Witchel discusses CPJ’s campaign against impunity in journalist murders

Did a respected military reporter really jump to his death? In the case of Ivan Safronov, there are many questions, few answers, and not much hope.

New York, October 29, 2007—The criminal libel convictions and one-month jail terms handed down Saturday against journalists for an Egyptian opposition daily are part of a government-organized campaign to silence the press and should be overturned, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The case stems from a complaint filed by lawyers affiliated with the…

New York, October 29, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Sunday’s murder in Baghdad of Shehab Mohammad al-Hiti, an editor for the fledgling weekly Baghdad al-Youm. Al-Hiti, 27, was last seen leaving his home in Baghdad’s western neighborhood of Al-Jamia to go to the paper’s offices around mid-day Sunday, a source at the paper told…

New York, October 23, 2007­­— The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed deep concern today about the abduction of a radio correspondent and the slaying of her driver in Baghdad on Monday. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) said the correspondent, whose name was not released, did not arrive for a scheduled assignment on Monday morning. The…

Al-Ahram editor Reda Helal disappeared. Now all memory of him may vanish too.

Reda Helal vanished in central Cairo four years ago. Now, even the memory of the prominent state editor has nearly disappeared. Why have the government and the press ignored his case?