Critical journalist held on spurious drug charge, colleagues say
New York, July 11, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the detention of a critical journalist in Azerbaijan on what local press freedom activists and opposition journalists call trumped up drug charges. Sakit Zakhidov, a prominent reporter and satirist for the Baku-based daily opposition newspaper Azadlyg, has been held since June 23. Azadlyg…
CPJ condemns murder of freelance journalist
New York, July 10, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of Bapuwa Mwamba, a Congolese journalist who worked for several local publications in the capital, Kinshasa. Mwamba was shot by unidentified gunmen who burst into his home July 8. CPJ is investigating whether the murder was linked to Mwamba’s journalistic work.
Bangladesh: Office of controversial magazine Weekly Blitz bombed
New York, July 7, 2006 — The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a bomb attack on the office of the Bangladeshi magazine Weekly Blitz whose editor is on trial for sedition after writing about radical Islam. Editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury told CPJ that two small devices exploded Wednesday outside the Weekly Blitz office in…
Cambodia: Editor receives death threats
New York, July 7, 2006 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by a series of death threats made against You Saravuth, editor of the bi-weekly Khmer-language newspaper Sralanh Khmer . Saravuth has gone into hiding and could not be contacted by CPJ. “We call upon Prime Minister Hun Sen to quickly launch an…
Armenian editor jailed without bail; political motives cited
New York, July 7, 2006 — The editor of an opposition daily has been jailed in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, for more than two weeks without bail. Arman Babadzhanian, editor-in-chief of Zhamanak Yerevan (Yerevan Times), faces up to five years in prison for allegedly forging documents to avoid military service, but the Committee to Protect…
Russia: Two years after Klebnikov’s murder, still no justice
New York, July 7, 2006 — Two years after the contract-style killing of Forbes Russia editor Paul Klebnikov, his assassins remain at large and judicial secrecy and procedural issues have crippled his family’s quest for justice. Klebnikov, a 41-year-old U.S. journalist of Russian descent, was shot outside his Moscow office on July 9, 2004, in…
CPJ Condemns Expulsion of RFI Correspondent
New York, July 5, 2006 — The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the expulsion of Radio France Internationale (RFI) correspondent Ghislaine Dupont from the Democratic Republic of Congo where a landmark general election is scheduled for July 30. Dupont, who had been in the capital Kinshasa with a valid visa since April trying to obtain…
Journalist imprisoned in defamation case
New York, July 5, 2006 — The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest and imprisonment on June 29 of Moustapha Sow, a Senegalese journalist who was convicted in February of defaming a local businessman. An arrest warrant was issued in February but carried out only last week, local sources told CPJ. “It is disturbing…
Burma: Court upholds prison sentences
UPDATE: July 5, 2006 Original Alert: April 4, 2006 Ko Thar Cho, freelance Ko Kyaw Thwin, Dhamah Yate LEGAL ACTION On June 21, a court in the central town of Yamaethin upheld the three-year prison sentences for journalists Ko Thar Cho and Ko Kyaw Thwin, who were first charged on March 27 for photographing and…