Bahraini journalists harassed, banned from travel
New York, May 1, 2017–Bahraini prosecutors and security officials should cease harassing journalists and should lift travel bans imposed on two reporters in the past week, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Prosecutors summoned three journalists for questioning in the week before the U.N. Human Rights Commission conducted its Universal Periodic Review of the…
Azerbaijan government seeks order to permanently block news websites
New York, April 28, 2017–The Azerbaijani government should immediately stop trying to permanently block access to five independent media outlets’ websites and should instead lift a decree that has rendered them currently inaccessible, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. A district court in the capital Baku yesterday began hearing a government lawsuit that seeks…
At least two journalists injured as protesters storm Macedonian parliament
Brussels, April 28, 2017–Macedonian police and prosecutors should swiftly bring to justice those responsible for injuring at least two journalists and assaulting at least four others in last night’s storming of the parliament building, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Nationalist demonstrators, many of them wearing masks and hoods, last night stormed the building…
Iran frees Issa Saharkhiz then sentences him to one year in jail
New York, April 28, 2017–Iranian authorities should immediately drop all charges against freelance journalist Issa Saharkhiz, who was sentenced yesterday to one year in prison, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The sentence was handed down the day after Saharkhiz was released from jail on a separate charge, according to the journalist’s son and…
Jammu and Kashmir state government censors 22 social media services
New York, April 26, 2017–Indian officials in the state of Jammu and Kashmir should immediately revoke a one-month ban on access to social media services, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The order, announced today, directed all internet service providers to block users’ access to 22 platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and YouTube,…
Ecuador fines seven news outlets for not reproducing Argentine newspaper story
Bogotá, Colombia, April 24, 2017–Ecuadoran authorities should immediately annul fines imposed on seven media outlets for declining to reproduce a story published in an Argentine newspaper, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Blogger stabbed to death in Maldives
New York, April 24, 2017–Authorities in the Maldives should swiftly identify and bring to justice those responsible for the murder of blogger Yameen Rasheed, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Rasheed died after he was found with multiple stab wounds in the stairway of his apartment building yesterday, according to media reports.
Journalists detained in wake of Turkey referendum
New York, April 21, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Turkish authorities to stop jailing journalists and suppressing dissent in the wake of a referendum to change Turkey’s system of governance from parliamentary to presidential. In the past week, police arrested at least three journalists and raided the newsroom of leftist website Sendika…