Middle East & North Africa

  

CPJ welcomes new Turkish amnesty law but presses for meaningful reform of press statutes

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing in response to the Turkish parliament’s approval last month of an amnesty law (law 4454 for 1999) that will secure the release of a number of jailed journalists and writers imprisoned on the basis of their published work and which is expected to temporarily cancel dozens of other prosecutions pending in court.

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The Turkish Amnesty Law: A CPJ Update

Click here to read CPJ’s September 17 letter to Prime Minister Ecevit. September 17, 1999—On August 28, the Turkish parliament approved an amnesty bill that will secure the release of a number of journalists and writers who were jailed on the basis of their published work. The law was signed by President Suleiman Demirel on…

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Lebanese reporter abducted by Israeli security forces in occupied south Lebanon

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a nonpartisan organization of journalists dedicated to the defense of press freedom worldwide, is writing to express grave concern about the case of Cosette Elias Ibrahim, a Lebanese journalism student and freelance reporter who was abducted by Israeli forces in the town of Rumaish in Israeli-occupied south Lebanon.

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Syria: Ailing journalist Nizar Nayyouf still in solitary confinement

Your Excellency, I am writing to express concern about Nizar Nayyouf, a Syrian journalist, writer, and human rights activist who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence in solitary confinement at Mezze military prison in Damascus. I would like to request a meeting with you later this month in New York to discuss his case.

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Jordanian press freedom still limited, despite legal reforms

Your Majesty: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) would like to extend a warm welcome to you on the occasion of your visit to the United States. CPJ supports Your Majesty’s efforts to initiate reform of the 1998 Press and Publications Law (PPL). As you are well aware, the 1998 PPL imposed sweeping restrictions on the press. As a result it became the subject of vigorous local and international protest. Parliament amended some of the more restrictive articles of that law in September. This is a welcome development which we hope will bolster freedom of the press in Jordan and lead to bolder reforms of Jordanian laws that inhibit free expression.

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Algerian Government Places Restrictions on the Foreign Media

Your Excellency, On the occasion of Algeria’s upcoming presidential election next week, as the international media prepare to cover events inside the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), writes to express deep concern about ongoing government restrictions on foreign journalists who report from Algeria.

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ALGERIA Government Restrictions on the Foreign Media

April 09, 1999 — Since political violence erupted in 1992, Algeria has been one of the most difficult countries in the world for foreign journalists to work. For several years, Algerian authorities have enforced a policy of providing mandatory escorts for foreign reporters, thus severely curtailing the ability to effectively investigative the country’s ongoing civil…

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Editor jailed for covering alleged sexual harassment by PM’s son

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-governmental organization of journalists dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide, is writing to protest the arrest of Abdel Karim Barghouti, editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Al-Bilad.

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Egypt: Three journalists jailed for libel

Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-governmental organization of journalists dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide, is writing to protest the libel convictions handed down last week against Magdy Hussein, editor in chief of the biweekly Al-Sha’b,Saleh Bedeiwi, a reporter for the newspaper, and staff cartoonist Essam Eddine Hanafi.

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The Committee to Protect Journalists Alarmed by Arrest and Indictment of Hasan Deniz

June 8,1999 His Excellency Hikmet Sami T&uuulm;rk Minister of Justice Ankara, Turkey Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply alarmed by the recent arrest and indictment of Hasan Deniz, editor of the daily &Oulm;zg&uuulm;r Bakis. On June 4, state prosecutors at the Istanbul State Security Court charged Deniz with violating Article 169…

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