Regional authorities in northeast Syria suspend Rudaw TV reporter’s credentials for 2 months
New York, May 11, 2020 — Authorities in northeastern Syria should reverse their suspension of reporter Vivian Fatah’s press credentials and allow all journalists to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
CPJ, 192 partner organizations urge UN Secretary General to take action to secure release of jailed journalists amid COVID-19
The #FreeThePress campaign, made up of 193 press freedom and human rights organizations and the more than 11,337 concerned citizens who signed the petition, urges the UN secretary general to take immediate action to secure the release of journalists jailed around the world whose lives are risk due to the spread of COVID-19.
Iran arrests 2 journalists for allegedly sharing cartoon mocking government’s COVID-19 response
Washington, D.C., April 27, 2020 — Iranian authorities should immediately drop their investigations into journalists Masoud Heydari and Hamid Haghjoo, and let them work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Iraqi reporter Ali al-Haj threatened over reporting
On April 16, 2020, a person who described themselves as the Sheikh of the Al-Mayah tribe texted Ali al-Haj, a reporter for the Iraqi broadcaster Al-Sharqiyya in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, demanding he stop his reporting and threatened him, according to al-Haj, who spoke with CPJ via messaging app.
Algeria blocks 3 news websites and criminalizes false news
New York, April 22, 2020 — Algerian authorities must immediately unblock the news websites Interlignes, Maghreb Emergent, and Radiom, and ensure that all media outlets can publish online freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Iranian medical schools sue journalists over coronavirus coverage
Since February 2020, two medical schools in Iran have filed criminal suits against at least two journalists over their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, according to reports by the International Federation of Journalists and the Human Rights Activists News Agency, two exile-run outlets that cover news in Iran.
Kurdish Iraqi journalist receives anonymous threats over coverage
Since March 19, 2020, unidentified individuals have threatened Kurdish Iraqi freelance journalist Amanj Warte, who contributes to the broadcaster KNN and the news website Sbeiy, after he published an article in Sbeiy on March 18 about alleged plans for a Turkish military outpost in Kurdish Iraqi territory, according to Warte, who spoke to CPJ via…