For second time, reporter barred from Moscow
New York, February 27, 2008—Authorities at Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport denied re-entry today to Natalya Morar, an investigative reporter with the independent newsweekly The New Times, the journalist told the Committee to Protect Journalists. Morar, speaking to CPJ by telephone from the airport, said guards stopped her at a passport checkpoint, confiscated her travel documents,…
Pentagon should disclose evidence, charges against Afghan journalist
New York, February 26, 2008—U.S. authorities should disclose evidence and specify charges against Afghan journalist Jawed Ahmad, who has been held by the military since late October, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In a February 22 letter to CPJ, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Ahmad had been designated an “unlawful enemy combatant” but…
Federal police detain, assault photographer in Veracruz
MEXICO: New York, February 25, 2008—Members of the Mexican Federal Preventive Police (PFP) detained and assaulted photographer Gabriel Huge Córdoba after he sought to cover a fatal Sunday afternoon car accident involving police in the eastern port city of Veracruz, the journalist said today. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Mexican federal authorities to…
Head of Iraqi Journalists Syndicate wounded in assassination attempt
New York, February 25, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns an assassination attempt in Baghdad on Saturday against Shihab al-Tamimi, head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate. Unidentified gunmen in a white Opel intercepted and opened fire on a car carrying al-Tamimi, his son and driver, Rabie, and an unidentified colleague riding in the backseat. The…
BELARUSEditor freed after being jailed for Prophet cartoons
BELARUS: New York, February 25, 2008—The Belarusian Supreme Court has ordered the early release of Aleksandr Sdvizhkov, former deputy editor of the now-shuttered independent newspaper Zgoda, who was sentenced in January to three years in a high-security prison for reprinting controversial Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2006.
In Cameroon, leading private TV station summarily closed
New York, February 22, 2008—Cameroon’s government summarily closed on Thursday a leading private television station on alleged regulatory violations, according to local journalists and news reports. The station in Douala was distinguished for its leading coverage of a national debate over a bid by President Paul Biya to scrap a constitutional clause that limits presidential terms.…
Independent broadcaster B92 threatened, besieged
SERBIA: New York, February 22, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces yesterday’s siege in Belgrade of the independent radio and television station B92. Threats have been waged against the broadcaster since violence flared as a result of Kosovo’s declaration of independence on Saturday. Also, CPJ is appalled by a graphic video that appeared on YouTube…
Concern growing over Afghan journalist’s ongoing detention
New York, February 21, 2008—The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that the U.S. military is holding Canadian Television journalist (CTV) Jawed Ahmad, but refused to disclose any further information. The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned by Ahmad’s continuing detention at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, in Afghanistan. Ahmad has been held…
Morocco’s Supreme Court upholds journalist’s 7-month jail sentence
New York, February 21, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the Moroccan Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a seven-month jail sentence against journalist Mustafa Hormatallah. Hormatallah, a member of the editorial board of the Moroccan weekly Al-Watan Al An, was convicted in August 2007 of possession of stolen documents. The conviction concerned an…
Two Sudanese editors held overnight; others summoned
New York, February 20, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the overnight detention of two Sudanese editors over articles they published on Sudan’s police force. The Khartoum state security prosecutor’s office summoned Sid Ahmed Khalifa, editor in chief of the daily Al-Watan, around 10 p.m. on Monday and questioned him about an article…