Newspaper editor murdered in the Philippines
New York, February 20, 2007—Hernani Pastolero, 64, editor-in-chief of the community newspaper Lightning Courier Weekly, was shot dead in front of his home Monday morning in Sultan Kudarat township, on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Pastolero was shot twice in the head by an unidentified assassin who escaped on foot, according to local media…
In Vietnam, a jailed journalist’s health seriously deteriorates
New York, February 20, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the severe deterioration in the health of independent journalist Nguyen Vu Binh, 39, who has been imprisoned since 2002. When Binh’s family visited him in Nam Ha prison on February 15, he was so thin and weak that he could not hold a…
Human Rights Watch executive denied entry visa
New York, February 20, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by Russia’s failure to issue an entry visa to Human Rights Watch (HRW) Executive Director Kenneth Roth. Roth intended to travel to Russia on Tuesday to hold a press conference to present his group’s report on obstacles nongovernmental organizations face in the region. This…
CPJ concerned about the health of jailed independent journalist in Cuba
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about a report of deteriorating health of independent journalist Alfredo Pulido López, who has been imprisoned in Cuba for almost four years. Pulido López, 46, is suffering from serious breathing and stomach ailments, his wife Rebeca Rodríguez Souto told CPJ.
In Mozambique, court upholds conviction of Carlos Cardoso’s killers
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes this week’s ruling by a Mozambican court to reject the appeals of six hired killers of leading investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso. Cardoso was gunned down on November 22, 2000, while investigating the 1996 embezzlement of US$14 million from the state-controlled Commercial Bank of Mozambique (BCM).
In the Philippines, sedition charges against three journalists
New York, February 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the government of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to drop sedition charges against critical The Daily Tribune publisher and two columnists. In its February 14 case against publisher Ninez Cacho-Olivares and columnists Ramon Señeres and Herman Tiu-Laurel, the government said their writing could “lead…
In Sri Lanka, Tamil freelance journalist missing in Jaffna
New York, February 16, 2007—A correspondent for two Jaffna-based dailies, Yarl Thinakkural and Valampuri, has been missing since Thursday evening after he failed to return to his home in the region of Vadamaradchi during a curfew. His father filed a report with police, who said they are investigating the disappearance, according to local media advocates…
In United States, two journalists avoid jail in steroid case
New York, February 15, 2007—Two San Francisco Chronicle reporters will avoid going to jail after their source revealed himself in a criminal plea agreement. The reporters, Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada, had faced up to 18 months in prison for refusing to name the source who provided them with secret grand jury testimony about alleged…
In Venezuela, newspaper and humorist fined over satirical letter to Chávez’s daughter
New York, February 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists protests a Venezuelan court decision to fine the daily newspaper Tal Cual and humorist Laureano Márquez following a satirical letter addressed to President Hugo Chávez Frías’ daughter. On February 13, a juvenile court (the case was tried here because of the young age of Chávez’s daughter)…
In Sudan, two editors accused of sedition
New York, February 14, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the recent detention of two Sudanese editors and the temporary closure of their newspaper after they interviewed religious militants last week. At around midnight on February 7, a Sudanese security officer visited the home of Adil Sid Ahmed, deputy editor-in-chief of the…