Middle East & North Africa

  

Hamas security forces arrest journalist Alaa al-Mashrawi in Gaza

New York, November 2, 2021 – Authorities with Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, should immediately release Palestinian journalist Alaa al-Mashrawi, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At 4 p.m. on October 31, Hamas’ Internal Security Forces arrested al-Mashrawi, director of the local news website Al-Mashreq News and the Al-Mashreq Foundation…

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Iranian journalist Manoochehr Aghaei begins 8-month prison sentence

Washington, D.C., November 1, 2021 — Iranian authorities must release journalist Manoochehr Aghaei immediately and unconditionally, and cease jailing members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 27, Aghaei, the editor-in-chief of the independent, social media-based news outlet MiandoabPress and a reporter for the state-run news website Young Journalists’ Club,…

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Iran’s parliament moves forward with troubling bill to further restrict internet

Washington, D.C., November 1, 2021 ­­— The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern today that Iran’s parliament is moving ahead with a restrictive internet bill, despite objections from citizens and international observers.   The legislation, the Cyberspace Users Rights Protection and Regulation of Key Online Services Bill, was undergoing review by a parliamentary subcommittee in…

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Killers of journalists still get away with murder

No one has been held to account in 81% of journalist murders during the last 10 years, CPJ’s 2021 Global Impunity Index has found. By Jennifer Dunham/CPJ Deputy Editorial Director Published October 28, 2021 Somalia remains the world’s worst country for unsolved killings of journalists, according to CPJ’s annual Global Impunity Index, which spotlights countries…

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Tunisia’s media regulator shuts down Nessma TV and al-Quran al-Kareem radio station over licensing issues

New York, October 27, 2021 – Tunisian authorities should allow Nessma TV and al-Quran al-Kareem radio station to resume broadcasting immediately and stop using the country’s licensing procedures as a means of censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.    On October 11, the High Independent Authority of Audiovisual Communication (HAICA), Tunisia’s media regulatory…

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Sudanese military forces arrest state television manager, pro-military protesters assault journalists amid unrest

New York, October 26, 2021 – Sudanese military authorities must immediately release journalist Maher Abugoukh, cease raiding media outlets, investigate pro-military protesters’ attacks on journalists, and ensure that telecommunications function in the wake of yesterday’s military coup in which military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan deposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and dissolved the government, the Committee to…

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CPJ calls on Sudanese military to respect press freedom and journalists’ safety as coup unfolds

New York, October 25, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is watching the press freedom environment in Sudan with grave concern as it works to get independent confirmation of news reports of military raids on media outlets and internet and telecommunications outages after the country’s military seized power in a coup earlier today. The…

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Houthis detain journalist Youness Abdelsalam in Yemen since August

New York, October 13, 2021 – The Ansar Allah group, known as the Houthis, must release journalist Youness Abdelsalam immediately and stop abducting and threatening members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Houthi forces detained Abdelsalam in the capital Sanaa in central Yemen on August 4 and have been holding him…

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Supporters of Lebanese president storm Al-Sharq office in Beirut

New York, October 13, 2021 — Lebanese authorities must identify the people who stormed the Beirut office of daily newspaper and news website Al-Sharq and hold them to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, at least a dozen supporters of Lebanese President Michel Aoun stormed inside the Al-Sharq office and hung pictures…

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Tunisian authorities arrest Zaytouna TV host Amer Ayad, confiscate channel’s equipment

New York, October 7, 2021 – Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Amer Ayad, drop all charges against him, and allow ZaytounaTV to resume its work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 3, Tunisian police arrested Ayad, a talk show host for privately owned channel Zaytouna TV, at his home…

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