Abducted Iraqi reporter freed
New York, November 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the weekend release of Radio Free Iraq correspondent Jumana al-Obaidi, who was held by kidnappers for nearly two weeks. The station’s parent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), said al-Obaidi was abducted from a car while on her way to a scheduled assignment at the Iraqi…
CPJ urges Musharraf to allow Pakistan’s media to operate freely
New York, November 4, 2007—The government of President Pervez Musharraf should withdraw the severe restrictions it has placed on Pakistan’s news media and allow independent television and radio stations to resume coverage of the country’s political crisis, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. “President Musharraf’s drastic steps to silence news coverage make a mockery…
In Malawi, government agency shuts fledgling television station
New York, November 2, 2007–State regulators in the commercial city of Blantyre summarily pulled off the air on Tuesday Malawi’s first private television station, citing an alleged regulatory violation, according to news reports and local journalists. The ruling, targeting a fledgling station close to opposition leader Bakili Muluzi in the lead-up to presidential polls in…
CPJ delegation meets with Kyrgyz ambassadorCalls for justice in the murder of journalist
Washington, November 1, 2007—A delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists met with the Kyrgyz ambassador to the United States, Zamira Sydykova, today to express alarm at the murder of independent journalist Alisher Saipov in the southern city of Osh last week. “There are strong reasons to believe that Alisher Saipov was murdered because of…
Prominent Haitian journalist threatened
New York, October 31, 2007—Haitian authorities must fully investigate multiple death threats made against prominent journalist and press freedom advocate Joseph Guyler Delva, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. “We call on Haitian authorities to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation into the threats against Joseph Guyler Delva and to bring all those responsible…
Journalist’s shooting in Sri Lanka raises alarm
New York, October 31, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by an attack on Sri Lankan online editor Kumudu Champika Jayawardana, who was shot as he was driving home from work in a Colombo suburb shortly before midnight Wednesday. Sri Lankan media reports said Jayawardana, editor of the news Web site Ethalaya, was admitted…
Editor slammed with hefty sentence
New York, October 30, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces a lengthy prison sentence handed down today by an Azerbaijani court to independent editor Eynulla Fatullayev. Fatullayev is already serving a two-and-a-half-year prison term for allegedly defaming Azerbaijanis in an Internet posting he says he did not write, and has been sentenced to another eight-and-a-half…
Prosecutors open probe into 2003 death of Moscow reporter
New York, October 30, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes a decision by an arm of the Russian prosecutor general to open a criminal probe into the mysterious July 2003 death of Yuri Shchekochikhin, deputy editor of the Moscow newspaper Novaya Gazeta. “We welcome this important if overdue step on behalf of Russian prosecutors to…
Prosecutors open probe into 2003 death of Moscow reporter
New York, October 30, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes a decision by an arm of the Russian prosecutor general to open a criminal probe into the mysterious July 2003 death of Yuri Shchekochikhin, deputy editor of the Moscow newspaper Novaya Gazeta. “We welcome this important if overdue step on behalf of Russian prosecutors to…
Egyptian journalists convicted amid wave of libel cases
New York, October 29, 2007—The criminal libel convictions and one-month jail terms handed down Saturday against journalists for an Egyptian opposition daily are part of a government-organized campaign to silence the press and should be overturned, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The case stems from a complaint filed by lawyers affiliated with the…