Philippines: Newspaper columnist gunned down
New York, January 23, 2006— The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Philippine authorities to fully investigate the killing of newspaper columnist Graciano Aquino, who was shot by unidentified gunmen on Saturday. Aquino was shot twice in the back of the neck at a cockfight in the town of Morong, 52 miles (84 kilometers) north…
Court closes portions of Gongadze trial
New York, January 23, 2006—The Kyiv Court of Appeals moved today to close to the public significant portions of the trial of three men charged in the 2000 abduction and murder of Internet journalist Georgy Gongadze. Journalists and a lawyer representing Gongadze’s family criticized the decision, saying it would keep the case out of the…
CPJ deplores attempt to censor media coverage of murder case
New York, January 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed alarm today at an attempt by Venezuela’s attorney general to prevent media from reporting on the high-profile murder of prosecutor Danilo Anderson. Attorney General Isaías Rodríguez said in a statement Wednesday he had asked a local court to ban media from covering the judicial proceedings…
CPJ welcomes second conviction of Carlos Cardoso’s killer
New York, January 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed a conviction today by a Mozambican court in the murder of Carlos Cardoso but called on authorities to pursue those behind the killing of Mozambique’s leading investigative reporter. A court in the capital, Maputo, convicted Anibal dos Santos Jr. for the second time of recruiting…
Journalist jailed, threatened with charges
New York, January 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the detention of Zimbabwean journalist Sydney Saize who has been held since Wednesday in the eastern town of Mutare. Police accused Saize of working without accreditation and filing a “false” story for the U.S.-funded radio Voice of America, according to the Media Institute for…
Philippines: Radio broadcaster and political aide gunned down
New York, January 20, 2006—Unidentified gunmen killed radio broadcaster and political publicist Rolly Cañete today in the southern Philippine city of Pagadian. The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating whether he was killed in connection with his work as a journalist International news reports said the attackers fled on a motorcycle. Police are investigating the…
CPJ alarmed by suspension of BBC FM broadcasts
New York, January 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed alarm today at Tajikistan’s suspension of the BBC’s FM radio broadcasts. The British broadcaster said it filed a complaint with the Tajik authorities on January 19 protesting the suspension since January 10 of FM programming in the capital Dushanbe and the northern city of Khujand.…
CPJ welcomes calls by leading Muslims for Carroll’s release
New York, January 19, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes calls by prominent Muslims around the world for the release of U.S. reporter Jill Carroll who faces death at the hands of her Iraqi kidnappers. A brief video aired on Tuesday showing the 28-year-old freelancer in captivity has prompted an outpouring of appeals for her…
China: Journalists imprisoned after reporting on land disputes
New York, January 19, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the long jail sentences given to two journalists who reported on rural unrest in China’s southeast province of Zhejiang. Zhu Wanxiang and Wu Zhengyou were convicted of illegal publishing, fraud, and extortion after covering land disputes, and sentenced on January 17. “We are deeply concerned…
China: Journalist tried on charges of spreading false information
New York, January 19, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the prosecution of Chinese journalist Li Changqing, who went on trial today on charges of “deliberately fabricating and spreading false and alarmist information,” defense lawyer Mo Shaoping said. The charges stemmed from a report on an outbreak of dengue fever on banned news Web site…