Alerts
2005
CPJ demands government account for “disappeared” journalists
New York, September 16, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists demanded today that Eritrea, the worst jailer of journalists in Africa, account for 15 journalists who have been held, some in secret prisons, since the government crushed private media and independent reporting four years ago this month. “Holding these journalists incommunicado without due process is a…
15 Journalists imprisoned in Eritrea
15 Journalists imprisoned in Eritrea Zemenfes Haile, Tsigenay Imprisoned: January 1999 Sometime in early 1999, Haile, founder and manager of the private weekly Tsigenay, was detained by Eritrean authorities and sent to Zara Labor Camp in the country’s lowland desert. Authorities accused Haile of failing to complete the National Service Program, but sources told CPJ…
Mass arrest of journalists protesting media curbs
New York, September 16, 2005—Police detained more than 80 journalists today in Kathmandu ahead of a planned protest against restrictions on the media. The journalists had gathered in the capital’s Ratna Park area, where rallies are banned. The journalists were held for about four hours and released. “The authorities should not prevent protests by journalists…
Journalist among three seized by unknown attackers
New York, September 15, 2005—Unknown assailants seized a journalist, a cameraman, and a government employee in Nuristan province, near the border with Pakistan on Wednesday, local media reported. The kidnappers have made no contact with authorities, and no motive for the attack is known. A spokesman for the governor of Nuristan was quoted as saying…
Mexico’s Fox to seek special prosecutor to fight crimes against free expression
New York, September 15, 2005—Mexican President Vicente Fox said today he will ask his nation’s attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate crimes against free expression, a commitment made after a series of deadly attacks against journalists in Mexico’s northern states. Meeting with a delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists at the…
Journalist held after criticizing traditional court judges
New York, September 15, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the arrest of Jean Léonard Rugambage, a reporter for the twice-monthly newspaper Umuco who accused judges of a traditional court in Rwanda of corruption. Rugambage has been held without charge since his arrest on September 7 in the central town of Gitarama. He has…
In Nepal, police beat journalists covering protests
New York, September 14, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns police brutality against journalists covering pro-democracy protests in Nepal. Radio journalist Tilak Mahat received four stitches on his head yesterday after police beat him at a protest at Bagh Bazar in the capital, Kathmandu. The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) said yesterday that police appeared…
CPJ study: U.S. military consistently fails to probe journalist killings in Iraq
New York, September 14, 2005—The U.S. military has failed to fully investigate the killing of journalists by its forces in Iraq and to implement its own recommendations to improve media safety, an analysis published today by the Committee to Protect Journalists shows. U.S. troops have killed 13 journalists since the U.S.-led war began in March…
Arson attack on newspaper and two radio stations
New York, September 12, 2005 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns yesterday’s arson attack on the offices of daily Diário de Marília and sister radio stations Diário FM and Dirceu AM in the city of Marilia, in the state of São Paulo. José Ursílio, Diário de Marília’s editor in chief, declined to speculate who…
Two journalists detained
Editor’s note: The original text of this alert has been changed to clarify Pina’s relationship with Lavalas. New York, September 12, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern at the arrest on Friday of a U.S. filmmaker and a Haitian reporter who were covering a police search in the capital Port-au-Prince. Kevin Pina, a filmmaker…