Sri Lanka: Veteran Tamil journalist feared abducted
New York, August 29, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by reports that veteran Sri Lankan journalist Nadarajah Guruparan is missing and feared abducted in Colombo today. The Free Media Movement, a local press group, reported that Guruparan, a producer, left for work at the privately owned Tamil-language radio station Sooriyan, or Sun…
Colombian radio commentator gunned down in his home
New York, August 28, 2006—Colombian radio commentator Atilano Segundo Pérez Barrios was murdered last week in his apartment in the northern city of Cartagena in the Bolívar province, according to news reports and CPJ interviews. The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating whether Pérez’ murder is related to his journalistic work. An unidentified assailant forced…
Two killed in car bomb attack on Iraqi newspaper
New York, August 28, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Sunday’s deadly car bomb attack on the state-run daily newspaper Al-Sabah. The blast killed two people, injured 20 others, and caused severe damage to the newspaper building in Baghdad’s northern Waziriya district. The newspaper published on Monday despite the attack.
In Gaza, Israeli missile strikes Reuters vehicle and wounds two
New York, August 28, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the apparent targeting of two Palestinian cameramen by Israeli forces in Gaza City late Saturday. A missile struck their armored car in the densely populated Shijaiyah neighborhood, seriously wounding Fadel Shana, a freelance cameraman for Reuters, and Sabbah Hmaida, a cameraman with a…
In Vietnam, dissident writer Pham Hong Son to be released
New York, August 28, 2006—A Vietnamese government spokesman said today that Internet writer Pham Hong Son, who has been jailed for more than four years, would be included in an amnesty of more than 5,000 prisoners. The announcement at a Hanoi press conference comes as Vietnam seeks accession to the World Trade Organization and follows…
Abducted journalists freed in Gaza
New York, August 27, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release in Gaza today of Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig, who had been held by kidnappers since August 14. Centanni and Wiig were dropped off at Gaza City’s Beach Hotel by Palestinian security officials, according to news reports. The pair,…
Wounded Guatemalan radio host in stable condition
New York, August 25, 2006—Radio host Vinicio Aguilar Mancilla, shot Wednesday morning, was in stable condition at a Guatemala City hospital today as investigators sought his assailants. The Committee to Protect Journalists is monitoring the investigation to determine whether the attack was related to Aguilar’s journalistic work.
Journalists freed on bail after more than two months in jail
New York, August 25, 2006—Two journalists imprisoned in Nigeria’s southeastern Ebonyi state since June 14 for an article criticizing the state governor were released on bail today. Imo Eze and Oluwole Elenyinmi, respectively director and editor of the local bimonthly Ebonyi Voice, were freed following local and international pressure on the governor, Eze told CPJ…
Prosecution of Zhao Yan reflects China’s ongoing media crackdown
New York. August 25, 2006—The prosecution of New York Times researcher Zhao Yan, which ended today in a mixed verdict, reflects Chinese authorities’ ongoing efforts to intimidate journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Zhao, detained since 2004, was acquitted on charges of revealing state secrets but convicted of a lesser count of fraud…
RFE/RL reporter sentenced to six years jail in secret trial
New York, August 25, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by the six-year prison sentence handed down today to a radio reporter in Turkmenistan after a closed-door trial that lasted only a few minutes. Ogulsapar Muradova, a correspondent in the capital Ashgabat for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was tried without legal representation and…