Nigerian authorities demolish radio station office
Uyo, Nigeria, May 23, 2017–Nigerian authorities’ demolition of the office of radio Breeze 99.9 FM is a shocking affront to press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. State authorities in Nassarawa, roughly 200 kilometers (124 miles) east of the capital Abuja, on May 20 demolished the radio station’s office and transmitter while police…
Mexican journalist abducted in Michoacán state
Mexico City, May 22, 2017–Mexican authorities must undertake every effort to secure the safe release of journalist Salvador Adame Pardo, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Gunmen abducted Adame, director of the television station 6TV, on May 18 from the central Mexican town of Nueva Italia.
Police beat Indian journalists protesting assault
New Delhi, May 22, 2017–Police officials should identify and discipline the officers who assaulted dozens of journalists in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata today, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. Journalists at the scene said police assaulted dozens of reporters covering a protest, then forcibly cleared a demonstration the journalists staged to protest their…
Bangladeshi embassies told to monitor journalists traveling abroad
Washington, D.C., May 19, 2017–The Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry should immediately and publicly rescind its instructions to the country’s embassies to monitor journalists traveling abroad, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Nigerian blogger still in prison, one month after granted bail
Uyo, Nigeria, May 19, 2017–Nigerian authorities should immediately release blogger Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo, in accordance with two court orders granting her bail, and prosecutors should drop all criminal charges against her, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Omololu-Olunloyo, who runs the blog HNN Africa, has been jailed for 69 days pending trial, despite two court…
Cambodian minister threatens to close media outlets that defy sweeping election rules
Bangkok, May 19, 2017–Cambodian authorities should allow media outlets to cover local elections freely and without fear of closure for running afoul of overly broad guidelines restricting election coverage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Cambodian Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith last week threatened to shutter media outlets that disobey guidelines for covering the…
AP photographer shot covering West Bank protest
New York, May 18, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Israeli authorities to apprehend and try the man who shot Associated Press photographer Majdi Mohammed in the hand and killed a Palestinian protester near the northern West Bank city of Nablus today.
Iraqi authorities shutter TV channel’s Ramadi bureau
Washington D.C., May 18, 2017–Authorities in Iraq’s western Al-Anbar Province should rescind their order closing the Ramadi office of satellite news channel Dijlah TV, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The Council of Al-Anbar Province on May 16 ordered the bureau closed, days after the Jordan-based channel aired a report alleging local government officials…
Kurdish security forces detain TV journalist in Syria
New York, May 17, 2017–Kurdish security forces in northern Syria should immediately release Zagros TV journalist Barzan Hussein Liani, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Members of the Asayish, the security force for the de facto government of the Rojava region in northern Syria, on May 13 detained Liani as they patrolled the area…
Ukraine bans Russian media outlets, websites
New York, May 17, 2017–Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko should immediately reverse his order obstructing at least 19 Russian media companies, four popular Russian websites, and banning at least 13 journalists from entering the country for a year, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The decree, published on the Ukrainian presidency’s website on May 15,…