Two leading writers and advocates detained and released
New York, December 14, 2004—Two prominent writers and defenders of imprisoned journalists in China were taken from their homes yesterday, Monday, December 13, and interrogated about articles they had written for overseas Internet sites. Liu Xiaobo and Yu Jie were released this morning after being warned to stop writing reports critical of the Chinese government.…
DEATH TOLL FOR JOURNALISTS HIGHEST IN DECADE
New York, December 10, 2004—The ongoing violence in Iraq and a rash of killings in the Philippines have made 2004 the deadliest year for journalists in a decade. According to research compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 54 journalists have been killed in the line of duty so far this year, surpassing the toll…
Journalist sentenced to six months of house arrest
New York, December 9, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounced the sentence imposed today on local Rhode Island television reporter Jim Taricani, who was ordered to spend the next six months under house arrest for refusing to reveal who leaked him an FBI surveillance tape. Taricani, an investigative reporter with the NBC-owned affiliate station, WJAR-TV,…
Journalist imprisoned
New York, December 8, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged that Chinese authorities have detained journalist Shi Tao, putting the total number jailed in the country at 42. On November 24, freelance journalist Shi was taken into custody because of his writings criticizing Chinese policy. Police from the security bureau of Changsha, Hunan Province,…
A journalist is freed as more than 20 remain jailed
New York, December 7, 2004—The man who headed an independent Havana news agency has been freed after more than 20 months behind bars, becoming the sixth Cuban journalist to be released in recent months. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Cuban officials to immediately release the 23 journalists still jailed after the government’s massive…
Journalist bludgeoned to death
New York, December 2, 2004—The body of a young reporter was found Saturday in a garbage bin on the outskirts of Tabuk in remote Kalinga Province, the latest slaying in one of the deadliest years on record for Filipino journalists. Police believe that Stephen Omaois, 24, was bludgeoned to death, according to international news reports.…
Photographer gunned down in Sinaloa
New York, December 1, 2004—A newspaper photographer was gunned down Sunday in front of his family in a cafeteria in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, home to some of Mexico’s top drug traffickers. The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating the slaying to determine whether it was connected to his journalistic work.
One journalist released, 42 still behind bars
New York, November 30, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the November 27 release of dissident journalist Liu Jingsheng, imprisoned since 1992 for “spreading counterrevolutionary propaganda.” But with 42 journalists still behind bars—including four imprisoned in 2004 alone—China remains the world’s leading jailer of journalists. CPJ called on the Chinese government to reverse its long…
Rivero released on medical parole
New York, November 30, 2004—Cuban writer Raúl Rivero was released from a Havana prison today, the second imprisoned journalist to be granted medical parole in as many days. Twenty-five other journalists swept up in a March 2003 government crackdown on the independent press remain behind bars. Rivero’s discharge and the release of journalist Oscar Espinosa…
Court ruling keeps Zanzibar independent paper closed
New York, November 30, 2004—The popular weekly Dira, Zanzibar’s only independent newspaper, remains shuttered after a court refused to reverse a one-year-old government ban. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities to lift the “outrageous” ban, and repeal laws that allow the government to silence critical reporting. The High Court on Tanzania’s semi-autonomous island…