New York, April 16, 2008— In response to news reports that two foreign nationals in Zimbabwe were acquitted today by the magistrate Central Harare Court, the Committee to Protect Journalists released the following statement: “We applaud the decision to acquit New York Times journalist Barry Bearak and a British national accused of practicing journalism without…
New York, April 16, 2008—CPJ welcomed the release of two foreign journalists from Harare today but remains concerned over Tuesday’s arrest of Zimbabwean freelance journalist Frank Chikowore. Award-winning New York Times journalist Barry Bearak and British freelance journalist Steve Bevan left the country today after Harare Magistrate Gloria Takundwa ruled that there were no legal…
New York, April 16, 2008—Chinese authorities should release or publicly charge a Tibetan TV producer in western Qinghai province who has been detained for more than two weeks, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Jamyang Kyi, a veteran producer for state-run Qinghai TV, was arrested on April 1 and has not been seen since…
New York, April 16, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Pakistani news reports of the arrest of a provincial government minister in the killing of Munir Sangi, a cameraman for the Sindhi-language Kawish Television Network (KTN). Sangi was shot in May 2006 while covering a gunfight between members of the Unar and Abro tribes in…
CPJ welcomes release of CBS journalist in Basra New York, April 14, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of CBS News journalist Richard Butler, who was freed in southern Iraq today after two months in captivity. Butler, a producer and photographer on assignment for CBS’ news magazine 60 Minutes was freed unharmed…
New York, April 14, 2008—Four American documentary filmmakers and a Nigerian citizen were arrested by the Nigerian military in Delta State on April 12. The Seattle-based film crew is currently in the custody of state security in Abuja, local journalists told CPJ. The film crew for a documentary called “Sweet Crude” was traveling by boat…
New York, April 14, 2008—Two South African satellite engineers, held in Zimbabwe on several charges, including violating the country’s draconian media accreditation laws, were acquitted today, according to news reports and local sources. New York Times reporter Barry Bearak and a British national accused of working as a journalist are due to appear in court…
New York, April 14, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by reports that a journalist was shot and killed today in the unstable province of Baluchistan in southwestern Pakistan. CPJ is investigating whether his murder was connected to his reporting. Khadim Hussain Sheikh, a stringer for Sindh TV, was killed by unidentified gunmen as…
New York, April 11, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the detention and deportation from Havana of Camagüey-based independent journalist Ernesto Corría Cabrera this week. Corría Cabrera, a reporter for the Miami-based press agency Nueva Prensa Cubana, told CPJ that he traveled from his home in the eastern city of Camagüey to Havana…
New York, April 11, 2008—Two South African media workers had their second day in court today in Zimbabwe facing charges of “obstructing the course of justice,” local journalists and the Media Institute of Southern Africa told CPJ. The trial for New York Times reporter Barry Bearak and a British national accused of practicing journalism without…