Kyrgyzstan parliament approves ‘false information’ bill
Stockholm, August 10, 2021 – Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov should reject legislation approved by parliament that imperils press freedom in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 28, the Jogorku Kengesh, the country’s parliament, approved the bill “On Protection from Inaccurate (False) Information” by a vote of 97 to 5, according…
Two Kurdish Iranian journalists sentenced to 2.5 years in jail, 90 lashes
Washington, D.C., August 10, 2021 – Iranian authorities should not subject journalists Sharam Amjadian and Morteza Haq-Bayan to imprisonment or lashes, and should stop prosecuting members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 3, Branch 104 of the Sanandaj Penal Court, in the province of Iranian Kurdistan,…
Suspected Taliban militants kill 1 Afghan journalist, kidnap another
Washington, D.C., August 9, 2021 – Afghan authorities must immediately and thoroughly investigate the killing of journalist Toofan Omar and ensure the safe release of journalist Nematullah Hemat, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, unidentified gunmen shot and killed Omar, a manager of the privately owned radio station Paktia Ghag Radio, according to…
Indian journalist stabbed to death in Andhra Pradesh
New Delhi, August 9, 2021 — Authorities in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh must thoroughly investigate the death of journalist Chennakeshavalu and ensure that those responsible are held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, in the Kurnool district of the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, a local police officer and…
Kashmir police raid homes of journalist Qazi Shibli and his family members
Washington, D.C., August 6, 2021– Authorities in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir should cease harassing journalist Qazi Shibli and allow him to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on August 5, police raided the home of Shibli, editor of the news website The Kashmiriyat, in Anantnag city in central…
Bangladesh authorities harass, threaten two Rohingya journalists
Washington, D.C., August 5, 2021– Bangladesh authorities should immediately cease harassing brothers and colleagues Sayful Arkane, a reporter, and Mohammad Aziz Arkane, a camera operator, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 2, the brothers, who cover Rohingya refugees for the YouTube channel of Rohingya news website The Arakan Times, participated in a…
Human rights reporter Zhou Weilin sentenced to 3.5 years in Chinese prison
Taipei, August 5, 2021 – Chinese authorities should immediately release reporter Zhou Weilin, and ensure that journalists are able to cover the country’s human rights issues freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 29, a court in Feidong county in Anhui province in eastern China sentenced Zhou, a reporter for the Chinese-language…
Russian authorities label The Insider a ‘foreign agent,’ search editor’s home
Stockholm, August 3, 2021 – Russian authorities should remove The Insider and all other media organizations and journalists from the country’s register of foreign agents and stop harassing the outlet’s editor-in-chief Roman Dobrokhotov, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 23, the Russian Justice Ministry added independent Latvia-based investigative news site The Insider…
Zambian opposition supporters assault reporter from state media
Lusaka, Zambia, July 30, 2021 — Zambian authorities must thoroughly and quickly investigate the brutal attack by supporters of opposition party United Party for National Development (UPND) on Victor Mwila, a reporter with the state-owned Zambia News and Information Services, and ensure that those responsible are held to full account, the Committee to Protect Journalists…
Palestinian police close the office of J-Media Network news agency near Ramallah
New York, July 29, 2021 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the closure by the Palestinian police of the office of the J-Media Network news agency in Ramallah and called on Palestinian authorities to allow J-Media staff to return to the office and report the news freely and without fear of reprisal. On…