Turkish courts pursue trials, asset seizures in multiple cases against journalists
October 22, 2020, Istanbul – Turkey must stop harassing journalists and prosecuting them on trumped up charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, a court Istanbul rejected an appeal by exiled journalist Can Dündar, thereby allowing authorities to seize his assets in Turkey, the news website Duvar English reported. Today, another Istanbul court…
Venezuelan intelligence services raid Correo del Caroní newspaper, detain employees
Miami, October 22, 2020 — Venezuelan authorities must stop harassing and threatening the Correo del Caroní newspaper, its owner, and its employees, and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 20, at about 9 a.m., agents from the Bolivarian Intelligence Service raided the headquarters of Correo del Caroní,…
Unidentified attackers open fire on journalist Shkumbin Kajtazi’s car in Kosovo
Berlin, October 22, 2020 — Kosovo authorities must conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the shooting attack on the car of journalist Shkumbin Kajtazi and ensure his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 18, just after midnight, unidentified attackers shot five or six times at the car of Kajtazi, a…
Indian authorities seal Kashmir Times office in Srinagar
New Delhi, October 21, 2020–The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the ongoing harassment of the Kashmir Times and its editor, Anuradha Bhasin, by the Jammu and Kashmir administration and called on authorities to immediately reopen and allow staff to work from its Srinagar office. On October 19, officials from the Estates Department of the…
Hungarian court gags investigative report, citing EU data protection law
Berlin, October 21, 2020—A gag order issued by a Hungarian court has cited European Union data privacy rules to prevent the weekly Magyar Narancs newspaper from publishing an article on Budapest-based soft drinks company Hell Energy and its owners, according to the article’s author, Ákos Keller-Alánt, and local news reports. The court in Budapest issued…
Journalist Sergey Plotnikov abducted, beaten, then released in Russia’s far east
New York, October 20, 2020 – Russian authorities should immediately and transparently investigate the kidnapping of journalist Sergey Plotnikov, and ensure that the press in Russia can work safely and freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 15, at about 8 p.m., seven unidentified masked men abducted Plotnikov on the street near…
Swedish authorities charge documentary filmmakers Henrik Evertsson and Linus Andersson for MS Estonia film
Berlin, October 19, 2020 — Swedish authorities should immediately drop criminal charges against Swedish documentary filmmakers Henrik Evertsson and Linus Andersson, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 30 prosecutors in Sweden charged Evertsson, a journalist, and Andersson, a cameraman, with violating the burial site of MS Estonia, a ferry ship which sunk…
Ghana journalist David Tamakloe arrested on false news charge
Abuja, October 16, 2020–Authorities in Ghana should immediately drop all charges against journalist David Tamakloe and halt intimidation of journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 7, at around 5:30 pm, a group of plain-clothed police officers arrested Tamakloe, the editor in chief of the privately owned Whatsup Newswebsite, on the street…
Journalists and media offices threatened, attacked in Kyrgyzstan as post-election unrest continues
New York, October 15, 2020 – Kyrgyz authorities should immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for threatening and attacking journalists covering post-election unrest in the country, and implement measures to protect members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In Kyrgyzstan, a number of attacks on journalists and threats to media outlets…
Egyptian security forces detain brother of Darb editor Khaled el-Balshy
New York, October 13, 2020 – Egyptian authorities must immediately release Kamal el-Balshy and stop harassing the families of journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 20, state security forces arrested Kamal el-Balshy, who works at an international travel agency, while he was returning home from the gym in downtown Cairo, according…