Prominent online journalist arrested in Bahrain
New York, September 7, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Bahraini authorities to release Ali Abdel Imam, a leading online journalist who was arrested Saturday on charges of spreading “false information.” The arrest is the latest in the government’s ongoing crackdown on dissent.
Kidnapped Japanese freelancer released in Afghanistan
New York, September 7, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the weekend release of Japanese freelance journalist Kosuke Tsuneoka, who spent more than five months in captivity in Afghanistan. Tsuneoka’s kidnappers released him to the Japanese Embassy on Saturday night and he returned to Japan on Monday, according to local and international news reports. He…
Al-Iraqiya anchorman gunned down in Iraq
New York, September 7, 2010–Riad al-Saray, an anchorman for Al-Iraqiya television, was killed this morning when a group of unidentified gunmen opened fire on his car in western Baghdad, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Iraqi authorities to thoroughly investigate the murder and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Malaysia power firm can’t take joke, prosecutes blogger
New York, September 2, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Kuala Lumpur to drop a criminal charge against blogger Irwan Abdul Rahman. He was charged today with “intent to hurt” in connection with a satirical entry on his blog, nose4news, that made fun of Malaysia’s state-run power company Tenaga, news accounts said.
In Puntland, radio journalist fatally stabbed
New York, September 1, 2010–Unknown assailants fatally stabbed radio journalist Abdullahi Omar Gedi in the Galkayo district of Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of Somalia, on Tuesday evening. Gedi, 25, had just left work at Radio Daljir when attackers stabbed him repeatedly and left him unconscious, the station’s managing partner, Jama Abshir, told CPJ. Gedi died…
Bahrain gags press as it cracks down on opposition
New York, August 31, 2010–Bahrainian prosecutors have banned journalists from reporting on the detentions of dozens of opposition activists, according to news accounts. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities to lift the censorship order immediately.
Malawian president threatens newspaper closings
New York, August 31, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns threatening comments made by President Bingu wa Mutharika against Malawian news outlets last week. Mutharika threatened to close newspapers that report critically about his administration after the private weeklies Malawi News and Weekend Nation cited a regional agency’s report forecasting food shortages in the country,…
Car bomb explodes outside Televisa in northern Mexico
New York, August 27, 2010–Mexico’s main television network reported that a car bomb exploded at its headquarters in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas state early today. There were no injuries, the Televisa network said, but its transmission was knocked out for several hours and there was damage to neighboring buildings.