Prominent Moroccan publisher resigns in bid to save weekly
New York, January 18, 2007—The publisher of Morocco’s independent weekly Le Journal Hebdomadaire resigned today in a move designed to shield the magazine from the record damages he was ordered to pay last year in a controversial defamation suit. Aboubakr Jamaï, publisher of the groundbreaking weekly, announced at a press conference in Casablanca that he…
In Somaliland, jailed journalists prosecuted under archaic criminal law
New York, January 18, 2007–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the ruling by a court in the northern breakaway republic of Somaliland on Wednesday to try three jailed journalists under archaic criminal laws in connection with a story critical of the president. A regional court in the capital, Hargeysa, ruled that editor Ali Abdi Dini,…
Mexican reporter says coverage of priest abuse case sparks threats
New York, January 17, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that Mexican reporter Sanjuana Martínez has been threatened for her coverage of allegations that a Catholic priest sexually abused dozens of boys in Mexico and the United States and that two cardinals sought to protect the priest. Martínez told CPJ that she…
Al-Jazeera producer charged with harming Egypt’s national interests
New York, January 17, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that Egyptian authorities have brought criminal charges against an Al-Jazeera producer in connection with her work on a documentary about torture. Howayda Taha Matwali, who also works as a reporter for the London-based daily Al-Quds al-Arabi, was charged after authorities found unedited footage showing…
Moroccan court convicts Nichane journalists, shutters publication
New York, January 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Moroccan court’s decision on Monday to sentence two independent journalists to suspended jail terms and close their magazine for two months. The Casablanca court handed down three-year suspended sentences to Driss Ksikes, director and editor of the independent weekly Nichane, and reporter Sanaa al-Aji…
In Rwanda, newspaper director jailed for publishing critical letter
New York, January 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the jailing since Friday of the director of a private Kinyarwanda-language newspaper in the capital, Kigali, for publishing a letter critical of the government. Agnès Nkusi-Uwimana of the bi-monthly Umurabyo was still being detained today at the Muhima police station on charges of discrimination and…
In Somalia, broadcasters return to the air a day after being shut down
New York, January 16, 2007—Four private broadcasters returned to the air today, a day after being shut down by Somalia’s U.N.-backed transitional government, according to local journalists and the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ). HornAfrik radio and television, Radio Shabelle, Radio IQK (Holy Quran Radio), and Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television resumed broadcasting after a closed-door…
In China, reporter beaten to death at illegal mine
New York, January 16, 2007—Unidentified men at an illegal coal mine in Huiyuan County, Shanxi Province, severely beat reporter Lan Chengzhang on January 9, leading to his death the following day, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating to determine whether Lan’s death was connected to his journalism, and it called…
Thailand’s military junta censors CNN Thaksin interview
New York, January 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Thai government’s efforts to block broadcast news coverage of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, including the censoring this week of a CNN interview with the ousted leader. Officials with the military-appointed interim government instructed local cable provider UBC to block the interview, which first…
CPJ, IPYS cite ‘lack of transparency’ in Venezuelan broadcast case
Caracas, Venezuela, January 12, 2007—A joint delegation of the Committee to Protect Journalists and Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS) said today it is alarmed about the lack of transparency in President Hugo Chávez Frias’ decision not to renew the broadcast concession of the privately owned television station RCTV.