Officials sentenced in Colombia for spying on journalists
Bogotá, May 1, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the sentencing on Thursday by the Colombian Supreme Court of two former senior government officials for their roles in an illegal surveillance program. The program, which occurred while former President Álvaro Uribe was in office, involved spying on some of the country’s most prominent journalists as…
Gunmen kill a radio journalist in Somalia
Nairobi, May 1, 2015–Unidentified armed men on Wednesday night shot dead Somali journalist Daud Ali Omar at his home, according to local journalists and news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Somali authorities to identify the motive in the murder and apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators. The gunmen broke into Daud’s house at…
Brazilian journalists injured while covering protests
São Paulo, May 1, 2015–At least five Brazilian journalists were injured while covering clashes on Wednesday between police and striking teachers in the southern state of Paraná, according to news reports and local journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the attacks and calls on Brazilian authorities to ensure the perpetrators are held responsible.
Burundian authorities crack down on press ahead of elections
Nairobi, April 29, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the harassment of journalists and news outlets in Burundi and calls on authorities to allow them to cover protests ahead of scheduled elections in May and June. Police cut the transmission of at least three radio stations, and telecommunications companies have been ordered to suspend mobile…
Authorities shut TV news station in Thailand
Bangkok, April 29, 2015–Thai authorities on Monday revoked the operating license of Peace TV, a news station aligned with the elected government ousted in last year’s military coup, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the move and calls for Thai authorities to stop harassing and censoring the media.
Libyan journalist shot dead in Benghazi TV office
New York April 23, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of a Libyan television journalist in the eastern city of Benghazi on Wednesday. Muftah al-Qatrani, 33, was shot dead in his office at Al-Anwar, the privately owned television production company he was director of, according to news reports. He had been covering the…
CPJ condemns murder of Congolese journalist in Equateur province
New York, April 23, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of Soleil Balanga, a journalist in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and calls on Congolese authorities to ensure that they conduct a thorough investigation and that the perpetrator is brought to justice.
Mastermind convicted in 2009 murder of Nepali journalist Uma Singh
Kathmandu, April 23, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the conviction and sentencing on Wednesday of the mastermind in the 2009 murder of journalist Uma Singh. A court in the district of Dhanusha convicted Umesh Yadav of ordering Singh’s murder and sentenced him to life in prison, according to local news reports.
CPJ condemns harassment of journalists in Brazil
São Paulo, April 22, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the harassment of journalists reporting on corruption in the Brazilian state of Paraná and calls on authorities to ensure their safety. A Brazilian journalist has gone into hiding after receiving death threats, while at least four others from a daily news outlet said they have…