New York, March 14, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of an Iraqi journalist by at least one unknown gunman in Baghdad on Thursday. Qassim Abdul Hussein al-Iqabi, 36, of the local daily Al-Muwatin (The Citizen) was shot dead in Baghdad’s predominantly Shiite Karradah neighborhood, according to local and international news reports.
New York, March 14, 2008—Police in Uganda should respect a court ruling that lifts a ban on two live radio programs, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The court decision today allows two live political shows on Life FM in Fort Portal to resume broadcasting, but the station has since received a warning from…
New York, March 14, 2008—Iranian authorities should immediately disclose the legal status of Afghan journalist Ali Mohaqiq Nasab who was arrested in the north-central city of Qom 10 days ago, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Nasab, 50, was taken from his home on March 4 by three plainclothes police officers who were bearing…
New York, March 14, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces yesterday’s brutal attack on Agil Khalil, a reporter with the opposition daily Azadlyg (Freedom). Four unidentified assailants encircled Khalil as he was leaving his office in the evening; one stabbed him in the chest, according to the Baku-based Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS).…
New York, March 13, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is pleased that a federal appeals court on Tuesday temporarily blocked a lower court’s ruling requiring a former USA Today journalist to pay thousands of dollars of fines out of her own pocket for refusing to disclose sources. On February 29, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B.…
New York, March 13, 2008—Niger’s official media regulator summarily suspended on Wednesday the FM broadcasts of France-based Radio France Internationale (RFI) for three months. Authorities accused RFI of discrediting the government in connection with a day-long series of programs on Monday about the detention of RFI correspondent Moussa Kaka.
Newspaper suspended over report on president’s wealth New York, March 12, 2008—Gabonese authorities banned on Tuesday a private newspaper for republishing a report on President Omar Bongo’s private wealth in France, according to local news reports. The original story appeared in the French daily Le Monde at the end of January. Gabon’s state-run National Communications…
New York, March 11, 2008—Six people affiliated with the Sri Lankan news Web site OutreachSL have been detained by the Terrorist Investigation Division of the Sri Lankan police force in Colombo since last week, according to Agence France-Presse and local news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the government of Sri Lanka to charge…
New York, March 7, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the surrender of a suspect to police in the 2004 murder of Filipino broadcaster Herson Hinolan, but is concerned that the move comes shortly after the withdrawal of an important prosecution witness from the case. Alfredo Arcenio, a former mayor of the town of Lezo,…
New York, March 7, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled by the four-year prison term given today to Genimet Zakhidov, editor of the opposition daily Azadlyg (Freedom). Zakhidov was charged with hooliganism and inflicting minor bodily harm in November. He has been in custody ever since. Zakhidov was secretly brought to the Yasamal District…