Cuban journalist Carlos Manuel Álvarez harassed, assaulted by security agents
Miami, December 23, 2020 — Cuban authorities must stop harassing and intimidating journalist Carlos Manuel Álvarez, and allow all members of the press to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 21, at about 2 p.m., security agents in the Playa municipality of Havana summoned Álvarez to a local police station,…
Honduran radio host Pedro Canelas shot and killed
Los Angeles, December 22, 2020 – Honduran authorities should conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the killing of journalist Pedro Canelas, determine whether his killing was related to his work, and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 19, in the southern city of Dulce Nombre de…
Russia moves to curb internet following investigative reports on Navalny poisoning
Vilnius, Lithuania, December 22, 2020—Russian authorities have advanced measures to punish online libel, police the internet, and protect officials’ personal data since December 14, when international news websites published reports investigating the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, according to human rights news website Mediazona and a media lawyer interviewed by CPJ. The joint investigation by…
Comoros journalist Oubeidillah Mchangama held for 3 days over Facebook posts
New York, December 22, 2020 — Comorian authorities should drop all legal proceedings against journalist Oubeidillah Mchangama and allow him to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 14, Comorian authorities arrested Oubeidillah, a reporter with Facebook-based news outlet FCBK FM, and held him at a remand center in Moroni, the…
Ghana journalist Oheneba Boamah Bennie held for 2 days, charged over Facebook posts
Abuja, December 22, 2020 — Authorities in Ghana should immediately drop all charges against journalist Oheneba Boamah Bennie and allow him work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 14, Ghanaian police arrested Bennie, a host and commentator with the privately owned Power FM broadcaster, and detained him until he was released…
Cambodia sentences journalist Sok Oudom to 20 months in prison
Bangkok, December 22, 2020 – Cambodian authorities should not contest journalist Sok Oudom’s appeal and should ensure that journalists do not face prison time for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, the Kampong Chhnang Provincial Court convicted Sok Oudom of broadcasting false news with intent to cause incitement, and ordered him to…
Egyptian blogger Shadi Abu Zeid jailed for 6 months over 2016 Facebook video
New York, December 21, 2020 – Egyptian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release blogger Shadi Abu Zeid, and cease jailing members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 21, a Cairo appeals court sentenced video blogger Abu Zeid to six months in prison after convicting him of…
Photojournalist Rahmatullah Nikzad shot and killed in Afghanistan
New York, December 21, 2020 – Afghan authorities must thoroughly investigate the killing of journalist Rahmatullah Nikzad and do everything in their power to ensure that members of the press can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. This evening, in the central Afghan city of Ghazni, unidentified gunmen shot Nikzad, a freelance…
Uzbek parliament moves to criminalize ‘dissemination of false information’
New York, December 21, 2020 – Uzbek authorities should halt attempts to criminalize sharing allegedly false information and ensure that journalists can operate freely without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 15, deputies of the lower chamber of Uzbekistan’s parliament, the Oliy Majlis, approved amendments to the country’s criminal…
Journalist Truong Chau Huu Danh arrested in Vietnam
Bangkok, December 21, 2020 – Vietnamese authorities should immediately release journalist Truong Chau Huu Danh and drop any pending charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 17, police in the southern city of Can Tho arrested Danh, a former state media reporter who co-founded and contributes to Bao Sach (Clean Newspaper),…