Barred from international travel, writer misses Courage Award ceremony
New York, October 12, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly protests a travel ban imposed on Iranian journalist and human rights activist Emadeddin Baghi, who was due to be honored here today with an award recognizing his courage in fighting injustice. Iranian officials confiscated Baghi’s passport at Tehran’s airport on October 4, and prevented him…
CNN producer freed in Gaza City
New York, September 28, 2004—CNN producer Riad Ali was freed and in the custody of Palestinian police today, a day after being abducted by gunmen on a main street in Gaza City, CNN reported. CNN President Jim Walton said the station was “enormously relieved” that Ali had been released. “His ordeal serves to highlight the…
CNN producer kidnapped in Gaza City
New York, September 27, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned about the kidnapping this evening of a CNN producer in Gaza City by unknown gunmen. CNN reported that Riad Ali, a veteran producer for the station, was seized at gunpoint from a car in which he was a passenger with CNN colleagues, including…
CPJ urges Rumsfeld to probe U.S. strike that killed civilians, including TV reporter
Dear Mr. Secretary, The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned about the U.S. military strike on Haifa Street in Baghdad on September 12, which killed at least 13 civilians and injured another 100 civilians.
Al-Arabiya reporter killed, two other journalists wounded in Baghdad fighting
New York, September 12, 2004—A reporter for Al-Arabiya television was killed and two other journalists were wounded today after a U.S. helicopter fired missiles and machine guns to destroy a disabled American vehicle, international news reports said. Mazen al-Tumeizi, who was taping a report today during some the heaviest fighting in the capital in weeks,…
Interim government imposes indefinite ban on Al-Jazeera
New York, September 7, 2004—Iraq’s interim government has imposed an indefinite ban on newsgathering by Al-Jazeera, extending a temporary suspension and saying the satellite news channel had failed to properly explain its coverage. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Iraqi leaders to reverse the ban immediately, saying it “amounts to censorship that further…