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…
In Somaliland, jailed journalists sentenced to prison
New York, March 5, 2007—Four journalists of a leading independent daily in the northern breakaway republic of Somaliland were sentenced to prison on Sunday, and their paper’s publication license indefinitely revoked over stories critical of President Dahir Rayale Kahin, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and news reports. Haatuf publisher Yusuf Abdi…
In Afghanistan, U.S. troops confiscate pictures after attack
New York, March 5, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is disturbed by reports that U.S. soldiers deleted reporters’ photos and television footage of the aftermath of a suicide bomb attack on Sunday, in which several Afghan civilians were killed by U.S. fire. Soldiers deleted photos and videos taken by Associated Press freelance photographer…
Journalist arrested in Ireland; two others investigated
New York, March 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest of freelance reporter Mick McCaffrey and the criminal investigation of Irish Times journalists Geraldine Kennedy and Colm Keena for allegedly publishing private information. Police investigated McCaffrey for several months after the independent Dublin-based Evening Herald daily published his August 2006 article about police…
Prominent Russian defense correspondent dies in mysterious fall
New York, March 5, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists mourns the death in Moscow of Ivan Safronov, a well-known military correspondent for the independent business daily Kommersant. Safronov fell more than four stories from a staircase window in his apartment building on Friday. Prosecutors consider suicide likely but have not yet completed their investigation, the…
Yemeni editors face criminal prosecution over critical reporting
New York, March 2, 2007–The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by criminal defamation prosecutions of three Yemeni editors. Independent weekly Al-Deyar Editor-in-Chief Abed al-Mahthari was charged with defaming Watani Bank for Trade and Investment; Al-Shoura.net Editor Abdelkarim al-Khaiwani was charged with publishing false information about the Defense Ministry and defaming Armed Forces Moral…
Gabonese government bans tabloid for three months
New York, March 2, 2007 —The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed that authorities in the capital, Libreville, have suspended a satirical newspaper for three months, apparently after it published commentary critical of President Omar Bongo, according to news reports and local journalists. The official National Communications Council (CNC) suspended the private bimonthly Edzombolo on…