Editor and columnist detained on criminal defamation charges in Myanmar
Bangkok, June 5, 2017–Authorities in Myanmar should immediately drop criminal defamation charges against Kyaw Min Swe, editor of The Voice newspaper, and Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing, a columnist at the newspaper who writes under the pen name British Ko Ko Maung, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police detained the journalists on June 2,…
Venezuelan court fines news website $500,000 for ‘moral damage’ to politician
Bogotá, Colombia, June 2, 2017–A Venezuelan court’s ruling ordering a news website to pay the equivalent of nearly half a million U.S. dollars in damages for republishing an article about a politician threatens press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Morocco deports Algerian journalist
New York, June 1, 2017–Moroccan authorities should lift any restrictions on Algerian journalist Djamel Alilat’s ability to enter Morocco following his May 30 deportation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police arrested Alilat as he left a protest he was covering in northern Morocco two days prior, according to the journalist and other news…
Reporter threatened and has part of ear cut off in Mexico’s Quintana Roo state
Mexico City, June 1, 2017–Authorities in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo must undertake a swift investigation into the attack on journalist Carlos Barrios, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. An unidentified man threatened Barrios, who reports for the news website Aspectos, and cut off part of his ear with a knife, his editor…
Kyrgyz journalist receives death threats
New York, June 1, 2017–Authorities in Kyrgyzstan should ensure the safety of independent journalist Ulugbek Babakulov, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Babakulov, who has been the target of intense criticism from lawmakers and pro-government media since he criticized nationalist social media posts in an article last week, has received death threats on social…
Somaliland journalist held without charge for asking question at press conference
New York, June 1, 2017–Authorities in the semi-autonomous region of Somaliland should immediately release Mohamed Adan Dirir, the editor of the online news portal Horseed Media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Mohamed has been jailed without charge since Somaliland Health Minister Saleban Isee ordered police to arrest him after he asked a question…
Iraqi journalist killed in suicide bombing
Beirut, June 1, 2017–Suhaib al-Heeti, a reporter for the independent Asia Satellite Channel in Iraq’s western Anbar province, was killed on May 30 in a suicide attack in the northern Anbar city of Heet, according to news reports, his employer, and the Iraq Observatory for Press Freedoms. He was at least the second journalist to…
At least two media workers killed, nine injured in Kabul bombing
New York, May 31, 2017–At least two media workers were killed and nine others were injured in a massive bomb attack in central Kabul, Afghanistan that also partially destroyed the office of a television station, according to media reports.
Exiled journalist abducted in Georgia to face prosecution in Azerbaijan
New York, May 30, 2017–Azerbaijani authorities should immediately release freelance journalist Afgan Mukhtarli and allow him to return to neighboring Georgia, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Mukhtarli, whose wife reported him missing from their home in Tbilisi, Georgia, last night, is being held at a detention center in Baku, Azerbaijan, regional and local…
Two journalists killed, two injured in Yemeni city of Taiz
New York, May 30, 2017–The deaths of two journalists and the serious injury of two others in the Yemeni city of Taiz late last week are a grim reminder of the risks journalists face reporting on the two-year-old conflict, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.