Russian Prosecutor-General charges one in the murder
New York, February 23, 2005—Belarusian authorities yesterday extradited to Russia two ethnic Chechens who are suspects in the July slaying of Paul Klebnikov, founding editor of Forbes Russia magazine, according to local and international press reports. The Russian General-Prosecutor’s Office today charged one of the men, Muslim Ibragimov, with complicity in the July 2004 murder…
Minister’s accusations may endanger journalists
New York, February 23, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that recent statements by Venezuela’s minister of information accusing British journalist Phil Gunson, as well as other foreign and local journalists, of working at the behest of the U.S. government may endanger their physical safety. The accusations followed weeks of heightened tensions between the…
Authorities proceed in sedition case against journalist
New York, February 22, 2005—The Bangladesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has issued a “charge sheet” against Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, editor and publisher of the tabloid weekly Blitz, a critical step in bringing the journalist to trial on sedition and anti-state allegations that could lead to the death penalty. The charge sheet discloses details of…
Car bomb explodes in front of television and radio offices
New York, February 22, 2005—A car bomb exploded Sunday night outside the offices of RCN Television and Radio in Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city. A security guard and sound engineer were injured in the blast, which significantly damaged the facilities. About 66 pounds (30 kilograms) of explosives were packed into a blue Renault car and detonated…
Iraqi journalist reportedly abducted
New York, February 22, 2005—Two Indonesian journalists and their driver, who were abducted by gunmen last week west of Baghdad, were released yesterday, according to international press reports. According to The Associated Press (AP), reporter Meutya Viada Hafid and cameraman Budiyanto, who work for Indonesia’s 24-hour news channel Metro TV, and their driver, Ibrahim Abdel…
Interior Ministry says journalist will not be deported
New York, February 22, 2005—The Interior Ministry in North Ossetia says a journalist recently ordered deported by the Federal Security Service may instead stay in Russia and reapply for citizenship, according to local press reports. But the apparent shift does not lift any of the restrictions that have prevented Yuri Bagrov—who has covered the North…
Gunmen seize Indonesian TV journalists
New York, February 18, 2005—Two Indonesian television journalists and their driver were seized by Iraqi gunmen in the city of Ramadi this week, an Indonesian government spokesman told reporters today. Reporter Meutya Hafid and a cameraman identified as Budiyanto, who work for Indonesia’s 24-hour news channel Metro TV, went missing on Tuesday while driving from…
Security forces arrest prominent editor
New York, February 17, 2005—Guinean security forces arrested the editor of one of the nation’s leading private weeklies at his home in the capital, Conakry, on Wednesday night. Authorities did not disclose charges against Mohamed Lamine Diallo, known by his pen name Benn Pépito, but local journalists believe the arrest could be linked to his…
Captors release video of kidnapped Italian journalist
New York, February 16, 2005—The kidnappers holding Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena have released a video showing her pleading for her life and calling on U.S. and coalition troops to leave Iraq, The Associated Press (AP) has reported. On February 4, gunmen seized Sgrena, a reporter for the Rome-based Italian daily Il Manifesto, near Baghdad University,…
Journalist’s deportation delayed
New York, February 16, 2005—A journalist ordered deported by the Russian security service was allowed to stay in Russia temporarily because officials in the passport office told him they could find no legal basis to expel him. Yuri Bagrov, who has covered the North Caucasus for The Associated Press and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL),…