In Bangladesh, editor of outspoken daily arrested in military raid
New York, March 8, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by the arrest of Atiqullah Khan Masud, editor and publisher of the popular Bengali-language daily Janakantha, in a military raid on the Dhaka newspaper’s office Wednesday night. Bangladeshi police today accused Masud of corruption, criminal activities, and “tarnishing the country’s image abroad” through his…
In Mexico, landmark libel bill awaits Calderón’s signature
New York, March 7, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists today urged Mexican President Felipe Calderón to sign new federal legislation decriminalizing defamation, libel, and slander. Voting 100-0 with one abstention, the Mexican Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that effectively directs all such cases to civil court. The measure, already approved by the lower chamber…
In the Philippines, Newsbreak editors arrested on libel charges
New York, March 7, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces Wednesday’s arrest of Gemma Bagauaya, editor of the online newsmagazine Newsbreak in a 100 million peso (US$2 million) libel case filed by Ilocos Sur provincial governor Luis Singson. Newsbreak Managing Editor Glenda Gloria and Editor-in-chief Marites Vitug were also charged by Singson. “The authorities in…
Azerbaijan editor receives death threat after report on colleague’s murder
New York, March 7, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a death threat against an editor in the capital Baku, four days after he reported that high-ranking officials there ordered the murder of his colleague Elmar Huseynov. On Tuesday afternoon, Editor Eynulla Fatullayev, of the independent Russian-language weekly Realny Azerbaijan and Azeri-language daily…
Liberian tabloid files appeal with Supreme Court after government ban over sex photo
New York, March 6, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Liberia’s Supreme Court to rescind a ban on private bi-weekly The Independent. The paper filed an appeal with the court on grounds that the government violated Liberia’s constitution when it revoked their license and closed its offices after the paper’s February 20 and February…
CPJ expresses alarm as Italian reporter goes missing in Afghanistan
New York, March 6, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo, a veteran reporter for the daily La Repubblica based in Afghanistan, has been out of contact with his newspaper since Sunday. The Taliban today said it had seized a man it alleged was a spy posing as…
Thai government seizes last independent broadcaster
New York, March 6, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the Thai government’s decision today to take control of iTV, Thailand’s only privately owned and managed television news station. The takeover was expected after the government announced last week it would terminate iTV’s license on Tuesday – the deadline for paying…
Government crackdown targets press freedom advocates in Vietnam
New York, March 6, 2007—Police arrested press freedom and democracy advocate Nguyen Van Dai and another human rights lawyer at their homes in Hanoi today for investigation under a criminal law that bans “propaganda against the government,” according to international news reports. The arrests of Dai and his law partner Le Thi Cong Nhan are…
Guantanamo Bay: Al-Jazeera cameraman force-fed during hunger strike
New York, March 5, 2007—An Al-Jazeera cameraman detained at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. naval station lost 36 pounds (16.3 Kilograms) while on hunger strike in January, and has since been force-fed, his lawyer confirmed to CPJ. Sami al-Haj, of the Qatar-based satellite news channel, began his hunger strike on January 7 to protest five years…
Two Iraqi editors murdered in Baghdad
New York, March 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the brutal murder of an Iraqi editor by unmasked gunmen in Baghdad on Sunday. The body of another editor thought missing was identified by his family in a Baghdad morgue on Wednesday. Around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, several gunmen in two vehicles attempted to abduct…