Alerts
2013
Journalist held for 23 days under vague Iraqi law
New York, February 19, 2013–International journalist Nadir Dendoune was released on February 14 after being detained in Iraqi prison for almost a month, according to news reports. Dendoune was arrested for photographing a location officials described as being restricted and was later accused of failing to register under the country’s vague Journalist Protection Law.
DRC journalist jailed after story on Chinese-run hospital
New York, February 15, 2013–Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo should release pending appeal a journalist who was sentenced to six months in prison in December on defamation charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The journalist was taken into custody on Tuesday. Police arrested Joachim Diana Gikupa, editor of the private daily La…
Nigeria harasses, intimidates journalist for critical weekly
Abuja, Nigeria, February 15, 2013–Authorities should halt their harassment of a Nigerian journalist whose paper published allegations of extrajudicial detentions being carried out by the country’s special army unit, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.Armed officers of Nigeria’s Joint Task Force and members of the State Secret Service (SSS) raided the Kaduna home of…
Nigerian journalists charged for criticizing polio campaign
Abuja, Nigeria, February 13, 2013–Authorities in Nigeria’s northern state of Kano should drop the criminal charges filed on Tuesday against two radio journalists who have been detained since Sunday in connection with their criticism of local officials’ handling of a polio vaccination campaign, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Bomb explodes on roof of independent Kurdish TV station
New York, February 13, 2013–Authorities in Kurdistan should immediately investigate and apprehend the perpetrators responsible for an explosion on the roof of the independent Nalia Radio and Television in Sulaymaniyah on Saturday, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The attack occurred the day after the station aired a caller’s criticism of Mustafa Barzani, the…
Azerbaijani prosecutor requests harsh jail term for editor
New York, February 13, 2013–A state prosecutor in Baku, the capital, asked a court today to convict imprisoned journalist Avaz Zeynally on charges of extortion and bribery and sentence him to 11 years in jail, according to news reports. Zeynally, editor of the independent daily Khural, has been held in pretrial detention since October 2011.
Crackdown continues against the Iranian press
New York, February, 11, 2013–At least two more journalists have been arrested by Iranian authorities, bringing to 17 the number of journalists caught in the newest crackdown against the Iranian press, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities to immediately halt their campaign against critical news media in the run-up…
In India, newspaper employee attacked, editions torched
February 8, 2013, New York–Individuals alleged to be part of a right-wing Hindu group attacked an employee of the Mangalore-based Karavali Ale daily on Wednesday, confiscated and torched copies of the paper’s editions on Thursday, and threatened news vendors, according to news reports and the head of the media group that owns the paper. The…
Charges renewed against Ethiopian journalist Temesghen
Nairobi, February 8, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the revival of criminal charges against Ethiopian journalist Temesghen Desalegn today in what appears to be a politicized court hearing designed to censor one of the few critical voices left in the country.