Third Senegalese journalist handed criminal libel sentence in a week
New York, May 22, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists today reiterated a call to Senegalese authorities to end a pattern of criminal defamation prosecutions against the press after a court in the capital, Dakar, sentenced a journalist on Tuesday to a suspended prison term on a charge of “publishing false news,” according to news reports…
Journalist gunned down in Pakistan
New York, May 22, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the fatal shooting of Express TV reporter Mohammed Ibrahim near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan today. Ibrahim, a reporter for the Express News channel, was gunned down by unknown men outside Khar, the main town of the Bajaur tribal area in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province,…
Three sentenced in Congolese journalist’s murder
New York, May 22, 2008–Three men accused of killing Congolese journalist Serge Maheshe in 2007 were convicted and sentenced to death, while two others were acquitted in a retrial that ended Wednesday. The trial failed to establish a clear motive for the crime, according to news reports and local journalists.
Hooded gunmen shoot at TV reporter’s car
New York, May 21, 2008—Two unidentified individuals fired on a marked car driven by a reporter for TV Diário de Mogi in São Paulo on Thursday. Edson Ferraz, who was not injured, told local reporters that he believes the attack was in retaliation for his recent reporting on police corruption. The Committee to Protect Journalists…
Philippines: Delay in trial of accused masterminds in journalist’s killing
Philippines: New York, May 21, 2008 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by delays in the trial of two government officials accused of ordering the 2005 murder of columnist Marlene Garcia-Esperat. The trial has been brought to an indefinite halt because of questions surrounding jurisdiction.
Assaults continue on Azerbaijani reporter
New York, May 20, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned about the safety of Agil Khalil, a reporter for the opposition daily Azadlyg who has been assaulted several times in the past three months. Authorities have taken no measures to guarantee his protection, according to local CPJ sources. On May 10, Khalil tried…
Afghan journalist begins death penalty appeal
New York, May 19, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes an appellate hearing Sunday in the blasphemy conviction of imprisoned journalism student Parwez Kambakhsh in Afghanistan. Kambakhsh, sentenced by a trial court to death, is asking an appeals panel to overturn his conviction. Kambakhsh’s brother, Yaqub Ibrahimi, who attended the hearing before a three-judge panel…
CPJ condemns criminal defamation convictions in Senegal
New York, May 15, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns criminal defamation convictions handed to two Senegalese journalists on Tuesday. The two were convicted for reporting on the contents of an anonymous letter critical of top security officials. A criminal court in the capital, Dakar, sentenced Director Jules Diop and Editor-in-Chief Serigne Saliou Samb of…
KYRGYZSTANBroadcasting bill rolls back press freedom gains
New York, May 15, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to veto a bill that would reverse efforts to reform Kyrgyzstan’s state television and radio company (KTR) into a public broadcaster. Kyrgyzstan’s parliament passed the bill on April 24. It gives the president the right to appoint KTR’s chief…