Somalia’s Shabelle radio network raided; 19 staffers detained
New York, September 17, 2007—Members of the Somali Transitional National Government security forces raided the Radio Shabelle office in the capital, Mogadishu, Saturday morning and detained 19 staff members. The security forces accused the journalists of throwing a grenade at a police patrol, reported one of the detained staffers.
Pakistani journalist alleges government abduction
New York, September 18, 2007— An abducted Pakistani journalist alleged that he was kidnapped by government agents a few days ago and released after questioning. Babar Hussain, a reporter for Dawn TV, was grabbed near his home in Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad, by three men in a two-door cream-colored Pajero—a vehicle favored by government…
Somali government detains Mogadishu reporter covering security sweep
New York, September 14, 2007—Police have detained a journalist who was reporting on a security operation undertaken by Somalia’s Ethiopian-backed government in the capital, Mogadishu, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists and local news reports. Mohamed Hussein Jimaale, a correspondent of the Puntland-based news Web site Puntlandpost, was among some 70 people…
Authorities block journalists’ telephone services
New York, September 14, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by reports that several Burmese journalists have recently had their telephone services cut by government authorities. According to the Burma Media Association and Burmese exile-run news sources, a number of reporters have recently experienced either permanent or recurring cuts of their cell phone…
In China, one journalist freed, another expected to be released soon
New York, September 14, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes reports than Zhao Yan, a Chinese research assistant for The New York Times, is expected to be freed on Saturday morning, according to the Times. If released, Zhao will have served his combined three-year sentence in prison and pretrial detention on a fraud conviction,…
Outrage as 14-year-old son of Pakistani journalist beaten for his father’s reporting
New York, September 14, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the assault on Hassan Sharjil, the 14-year-old son of prominent journalist Shakil Ahmad Turabi, editor-in-chief of the South Asian News Agency. Hassan was beaten by a man outside his school today in Islamabad as he was dropped off for classes at around…
Radio reporter wounded while covering social protest
New York, September 13, 2007—Argentine radio reporter Adela Gómez was injured Wednesday after national border guards fired rubber bullets into a crowd of protesters blocking a road in the southern province of Santa Cruz. Gómez, a reporter with radio station FM XXI in the city of Caleta Olivia, about 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) south of…
Four editors sentenced to jail
New York, September 13, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Cairo court’s ruling today that sentences four independent editors to one-year jail terms for publishing “false information.” Editors Ibrahim Eissa of the daily Al-Dustour, Wael al-Abrashy of the weekly Sawt al-Umm, Adel Hammouda of the weekly Al-Fajr, and Abdel Halim Kandil, former editor of…
Gambian journalist still held despite receiving bail
New York, September 13, 2007—A prominent radio producer at the Gambia Radio and Television Services is still being held in jail despite being granted bail yesterday. Producer Malick Jones was charged with communicating to an unnamed foreign journalist sensitive information in violation of state security, a charge made under the Official Secret Act. Jones, along…
In Russia, skepticism greets prosecutors’ ruling in Safronov death
New York, September 12, 2007—Moscow prosecutors closed the criminal investigation into the March death of Kommersant defense correspondent Ivan Safronov because of “an absence of foul play,” the business daily reported today. The Central Administrative District prosecutor concluded that Safronov took his own life “for subjective, private reasons,” Kommersant said. The prosecutor’s office disclosed few…