Philippine top judge to CPJ: We will seek justice in unsolved murders of journalists
Manila, July 26, 2007 -The chief justice of the Philippine Supreme Court told a delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists that he will seek justice in the unsolved killings of journalists and will use his authority to protect freedom of speech and of the press. “The fact that the killings remain unsolved heightens public…
Radio journalist wounded in Philippine shooting
New York, July 26, 2007–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Wednesday’s shooting of radio journalist and station manager Ferdinand “Bambi” Yngson in Sagay City, on the central island of Negros. Yngson was on his way to work when he was shot in the left arm, according to news reports. “We are appalled at this vicious…
In Tunisia, an Internet writer is freed after 28 months
New York, July 25, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release from prison on Tuesday of a Tunisian human rights lawyer who had been jailed nearly 28 months because of online articles he wrote criticizing the Tunisian government. Mohammed Abbou and more than 20 other political prisoners were freed by order of President Zine…
Police in Malaysia interrogate popular Internet journalist
New York, July 25, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists expresses its grave concern about today’s police interrogation of popular Internet-based writer Raja Petra Kamarudin, founder of the Malaysia Today news Web site. According to Malaysia Today, Raja Petra was summoned to the Dang Wangi Stadium police station in Kuala Lumpur in response to a police…
Moroccan journalists charged for publishing secret government documents
New York, July 24, 2007—Two Moroccan journalists detained for more than a week were charged today with possessing classified documents after they recently published secret government papers regarding terrorist threats against Morocco. The Casablanca public prosecutor charged Abderrahim Ariri, publisher of the Moroccan weekly Al-Watan Al An and Mustafa Hormatallah, a journalist for the paper,…
Ethiopian government pardons four journalists, revives genocide charges against others
New York, July 24, 2007— Authorities in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa released on conditional pardon last week four journalists who accepted responsibility for deadly post-election unrest in 2005, according to local journalists and news reports. The four were among 38 activists who were pardoned last week. At the same time, the government is…
Chinese reporter accused of fabricating story held on unclear charges
New York, July 23, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for greater transparency in the arrest of a Chinese reporter accused of fabricating news. Police arrested Beijing TV reporter Zi Beijia last week and are holding him in criminal custody following accusations that he faked a report on contaminated steamed buns, according to state news…
To mark Press Day, CPJ urges release of jailed Azerbaijani journalists
New York, July 20, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Azerbaijani authorities to mark the country’s National Press Day on Sunday by releasing the seven journalists jailed in the nation’s prisons. Azerbaijan is the region’s leading jailer of journalists and one of the world’s worst backsliders on press freedom, CPJ research shows.
In Niger, RFI summarily suspended after correspondent threatened
New York, July 20, 2007–The Niger government suspended broadcasts of France-based Radio France Internationale (RFI) on Thursday, accusing the station of “broadcasting false news” related to a recent armed rebellion of nomadic Tuaregs in northern Niger, according to local journalists and news reports. The move came less than a week after the army chief threatened…
In DRC, journalist in hiding after sentenced to prison without notice
New York, July 19, 2007—Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, convicted a journalist in secret and ordered him to report to prison immediately. He had never been told that he was charged with a crime. On July 5, Pold Kalombo, an editor of the private weekly Le Soft International received a notice…