Opposition activist released from forced psychiatric hospitalization
New York, August 20, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes today’s release of opposition activist Larisa Arap, who was forcibly held in a Russian psychiatric hospital. Arap’s detention on July 5 came soon after the publication of her interview on the treatment of patients at the Murmansk regional psychiatric hospital in northern city of Apatity—the…
In Kenya, journalists protest media bill compelling disclosure of sources
New York, August 16, 2007—Hundreds of journalists marched silently Wednesday in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi with their mouths gagged to protest a bill that would restrict press freedom. The law, which would force editors to name their sources if a story led to a court cases, was sent to President Mwai Kibaki last week for review.
In DRC, police disrupt photojournalists’ march honoring slain colleague
New York, August 16, 2007—A peaceful march today led by photojournalists in DRC’s capital, Kinshasa, to demand justice for last week’s assassination of freelance photojournalist Patrick Kikuku Wilungula was interrupted and dispersed by police, according to press freedom group Journaliste en Danger and local journalists.
In Kenya, journalists protest media bill compelling disclosure of sources
New York, August 16, 2007—Hundreds of journalists marched silently Wednesday in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi with their mouths gagged to protest a bill that would restrict press freedom. The law, which would force editors to name their sources if a story led to a court cases, was sent to President Mwai Kibaki last week for review.
Casablanca court hands down prison sentences against two journalists
New York, August 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the prison sentences handed down today against two Moroccan journalists who published a secret government document about terrorist threats against Morocco. Abderrahim Ariri, publisher of the Moroccan weekly Al-Watan Al An, and Mustafa Hormatallah, a journalist for the paper, were convicted by a criminal court…
In DRC, police disrupt photojournalists’ march honoring slain colleague
New York, August 16, 2007—A peaceful march today led by photojournalists in DRC’s capital, Kinshasa, to demand justice for last week’s assassination of freelance photojournalist Patrick Kikuku Wilungula was interrupted and dispersed by police, according to press freedom group Journaliste en Danger and local journalists.
Arson attack follows anonymous threat against Cambodian journalist
NEW YORK, August 15, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Cambodian government to launch an independent investigation into the recent arson attack on the home of Phan Phat, a journalist with the local Khmer language newspaper Chbas Kar. According to local press freedom groups and news reports, Phat’s wooden house was set…
Mexican journalist recounts abuse during army detention
New York, August 14, 2007—Mexican crime reporter Sinhué Samaniego Osoria spoke to the Committee to Protect Journalists today and detailed the abuse that he and three other Mexican reporters suffered during their arrest by Mexican soldiers last week in the northern state of Coahuila. CPJ called on Mexican authorities to investigate the conduct of the…
Two Guinean newspaper directors handed suspended prison terms
New York, August 14, 2007—A court in the Guinean capital of Conakry handed down suspended prison sentences on Monday to two private newspaper directors in connection with articles alleging corruption by a former government minister, according to local journalists. Thiernodjo Diallo of La Vérité and Abdoul Azziz Camara of Libération were each sentenced to six-month…
In China, reporter jailed for allegedly fabricating news
New York, August 14, 2007 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is disappointed by the severe criminal penalties handed down by a Chinese court in the case of Zi Beijia, a Beijing TV reporter accused of fabricating a story about contaminated buns. On August 12, the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court found Zi guilty…