Alerts
2005
Authorities suspend license of jailed journalists’ lawyer
New York, March 1, 2005—Authorities in Shanghai have suspended the law license of Guo Guoting, defense attorney for three jailed journalists as well as a number of other dissidents and members of the Falun Gong religious sect. The suspension throws into question the defense of imprisoned writers Shi Tao, Zhang Lin and Huang Jinqiu.
French reporter abducted in Iraq pleads for help in video
New York, March 1, 2005—A French reporter who disappeared in Baghdad nearly two months ago appeared pleading for help in a videotape released today by her captors. In the videotape, Florence Aubenas, a correspondent for the French daily Libération, is shown looking pale and tired and states that she is in bad health, The Associated…
Suspects detained; key witness injured in grenade attack
New York, March 1, 2005—Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said today that Kyiv investigators had detained and were questioning suspects in the 2000 murder of investigative reporter Georgy Gongadze, whose decapitation had shocked Ukraine and whose unsolved case had tainted the highest reaches of government. The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed the president’s announcement and urged…
Kidnapped journalist killed in IraqJournalist injured in separate incident
New York, February 28, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the murder of Raeda Wazzan, a news anchor with the Iraqi state TV channel Al-Iraqiya who was kidnapped on February 20. Wazzan’s body was found on Friday, February 25, on a roadside in Mosul, where the journalist had lived and worked, according to…
After just eight weeks, an independent newspaper is shuttered
New York, February 28, 2005—Zimbabwe’s Media and Information Commission (MIC) has closed the independent regional newspaper Weekly Times after just eight weeks of publication, saying the newspaper violated the country’s media legislation, according to news reports. Local journalists believe the closing is part of a systematic clampdown on critical media in the run-up to parliamentary…
Radio station suspended days before parliamentary elections
New York, February 25, 2005—A state broadcast regulator last night shuttered the popular Kyrgyz Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, known locally as Radio Azattyk, just three days ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections, according to local and international press reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on the government to overturn the decision immediately…
Internet writers imprisoned, harassment continues
New York, February 24, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the Iranian government’s months-long crackdown on Internet writers who disseminate information and opinion on Web logs, also known as blogs. One writer who may have been detained for his postings has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, and at least one other…
Suspect detained in connection with murder of veteran journalist
New York, February 23, 2005—Gambian authorities yesterday arrested a Lebanese businessman in connection with the murder of veteran journalist Deyda Hydara, according to local press reports. Wally Mahmoud Hakim was detained after officials found arms in his house, and he remained in custody today. Authorities gave no details about whether they had specifically linked any…
Russian Prosecutor-General charges one in the murder
New York, February 23, 2005—Belarusian authorities yesterday extradited to Russia two ethnic Chechens who are suspects in the July slaying of Paul Klebnikov, founding editor of Forbes Russia magazine, according to local and international press reports. The Russian General-Prosecutor’s Office today charged one of the men, Muslim Ibragimov, with complicity in the July 2004 murder…
Minister’s accusations may endanger journalists
New York, February 23, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that recent statements by Venezuela’s minister of information accusing British journalist Phil Gunson, as well as other foreign and local journalists, of working at the behest of the U.S. government may endanger their physical safety. The accusations followed weeks of heightened tensions between the…