Armed men rob, threaten to kill Congolese journalist Parfait Katoto in his home
Lome, Togo, June 17, 2021 — Congolese authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate threats made to journalist Parfait Katoto and ensure his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 9:50 p.m. on May 29, an armed man entered Katoto’s home in the eastern town of Biakato, in Ituri province, through an open…
Russian authorities open court case against journalist Yury Dud for distributing ‘drug propaganda’
New York, June 17, 2021 – Russian authorities should drop all court proceedings against journalist Yury Dud and ensure that he can work freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 10, the Zyuzinsky District Court in Moscow accepted a lawsuit filed against Dud, who runs the YouTube channel vDud, for…
Salvadoran court orders Revista Factum to take down reporting on murder case
Guatemala City, June 17, 2021 – Salvadoran authorities should immediately rescind a court order requiring the independent news website Revista Factum to take down an article, and should allow the media to report freely on issues of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 14, the First Peace Court in the…
Indian police open criminal investigation into The Wire and 3 journalists
New Delhi, June 16, 2021 — Authorities in India’s Uttar Pradesh state must immediately drop their criminal investigation into journalists Rana Ayyub, Saba Naqvi, and Mohammed Zubair, and the independent news website The Wire, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, Uttar Pradesh police filed a criminal complaint stating that they were opening a…
Kazakh newspaper Aq Zhayiq and editor Azamat Maitanov receive death threats
Stockholm, June 16, 2021 – Kazakh authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate all threats made to employees of the independent newspaper Aq Zhayiq and ensure their safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since the beginning of the year, unidentified individuals have sent dozens of death threats to Azamat Maitanov, the outlet’s editor-in-chief, and…
Colombian journalist Pincen Mora survives shooting attempt at home in Medellín
Bogotá, June 16, 2021 – Colombian authorities should thoroughly investigate the attempted shooting of journalist Pincen Mora, hold the perpetrators to account, and guarantee his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 8, at about 5 p.m., a group of eight unidentified men on motorcycles stopped at the home and office of Mora,…
Zambia’s broadcasting regulator threatens to revoke Muvi TV’s license
Lusaka, Zambia, June 16, 2021 — Zambia’s broadcasting regulator, the Independent Broadcasting Authority, must stop harassing private broadcaster Muvi TV and should publicly reaffirm the editorial independence of media outlets ahead of the August 12 general elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 28, the IBA found Muvi TV guilty of professional…
German law increases government surveillance and hacking powers, removes protection for journalists
Berlin, June 16, 2021—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern after Germany’s Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, removed legal provisions that exempted journalists from surveillance during terrorism investigations. Amendments to Germany’s Federal Constitutional Protection Act — approved on June 10, 2021 — give domestic and foreign intelligence services and the federal police powers to…
Journalist Nidal Ikhbaria survives shooting attempt at home in Arab Israeli city of Umm al-Fahm
New York, June 15, 2021 – Israeli authorities should conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the shooting attack on journalist Nidal Ikhbaria’s home, and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 9, unidentified people in the Arab-majority Israeli city of Umm al-Fahm fired more than 50 bullets…
European soccer association UEFA denies accreditations to at least 6 journalists, citing failed background checks by Russia and Azerbaijan
New York, June 15, 2021 – The Union of European Football Associations should ensure that all journalists can report from its events freely and without political interference from host countries, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since late May, UEFA, an umbrella organization comprised of 55 national soccer associations across Europe, has denied or…