Vilnius, Lithuania, July 1, 2020 – Russian authorities should ensure that journalists are able to cover the country’s ongoing vote freely, and should refrain from harassing and detaining members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since June 21, authorities have attacked, arrested, or harassed at least five journalists in the lead-up…
Vilnius, Lithuania, July 1, 2020 – Belarusian authorities should immediately release all journalists held for their work, and allow the press to cover the country’s upcoming elections without fear of prosecution, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since June 15, authorities throughout the country have arrested at least six bloggers, according to news reports. Speaking…
New York, June 30, 2020 – Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon should not ratify proposed legal amendments that would threaten free expression in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 26, the country’s National Assembly, its upper house of parliament, unanimously approved amendments to the country’s administrative code making it illegal to…
Abuja, June 30, 2020 – Nigerian authorities should investigate the attack on journalist Ike-Jacobs Nwosu and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 15, Uche Ogbuagu, a legislator in Nigeria’s southeastern Imo state, approached Nwosu, a reporter for the privately owned Eastern Lead Express newspaper, while he was…
Bangkok, June 30, 2020 — Cambodian authorities should immediately release journalist Ros Sokhet and drop all pending charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 25, police in Kampong Chhnang province’s Toek Phos district arrested Sokhet, publisher of the privately owned Cheat Khmer (Khmer Nation) newspaper, and then transferred him to the Phnom Penh…
New York, June 29, 2020 — Authorities in Botswana should drop all charges against journalists David Baaitse and Kenneth Mosekiemang, and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 2:30 p.m. on June 18, intelligence agents arrested Baaitse, a reporter for the privately owned Weekend Post weekly, and Mosekiemang,…
Washington, D.C., June 29, 2020 – Iranian authorities should immediately drop charges against Majid Motalebzadeh, editor and reporter at the state-run Sedaye Eslahat newspaper, and release him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 20, Motalebzadeh appeared before the Cyber Crimes Court in Tehran after being summoned by the country’s Cyber Police Unit,…
New York, June 27, 2020 — Bulgarian authorities should immediately drop the charges against publisher Ivo Prokopiev, which are retaliatory in nature and intended to stifle critical reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Tomorrow, Prokopiev, who owns the independent news website Dnevnik and business weekly Capital, is set to appear before a criminal…
Rio de Janeiro, June 26, 2020 — Brazilian authorities should drop a criminal investigation into journalist Rafael Ventura and refrain from investigating reporters for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On April 1, police in Ribeirão Pires, in São Paulo state, opened a criminal slander and defamation inquiry into Ventura, editor of…
Miami, June 26, 2020 – Authorities in Barbados must thoroughly investigate the killing of photojournalist Christoff Griffith and ensure those responsible are held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Griffith is the first journalist CPJ has recorded as killed in relation to his work in Barbados. On June 22, in St. Michael,…