Journalist sentenced to prison for defamation
New York, February 6, 2006—The publication director of a private weekly newspaper was sentenced today to two months in prison for allegedly defaming a local businessman, according to two local journalist organizations. Ibrahim Manzo, director of L’Autre Observateur, was arrested and placed in “preventive detention” on Thursday; his trial lasted a single day. He is…
Rebuffed by Chinese Embassy, Cpj Publicizes Appeals Seeking Journalist’s Release Read Cpj’s Letter to the Chinese AmbassadorRebuffed by Chinese embassy, CPJ publicizes appeals seeking journalist’s release
New York, February 6, 2006—Officials at the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., have refused to accept delivery of 443 signed appeals calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Shi Tao, a journalist unjustly imprisoned for “leaking state secrets.” The Committee to Protect Journalists, which organized the appeal campaign, today posted on its Web site…
China: Newspaper editor dies after police beating
New York, February 6, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists mourns the death of colleague Wu Xianghu, deputy editor of Taizhou Wanbao. Wu died on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries in October 2005 when traffic police in the eastern coastal city of Taizhou, Zhejiang province, attacked him for an expose that embarrassed them, according to international…
In Guatemala, a welcome decision to strike down ‘disrespect’ laws
New York, February 3, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists praises a decision by Guatemala’s highest court to strike down laws that criminalized expressions deemed offensive to public officials. The court ruled that desacato, or disrespect, provisions were unconstitutional and constituted “an attack on freedom of expression and the right to be informed.” In a ruling…
Chechen comments lead to editor’s conviction for ‘inciting hatred’
New York, February 3, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the criminal conviction of Stanislav Dmitriyevsky, director of the human rights organization Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and editor of its newspaper Pravo-Zashchita. Today’s verdict is based on the newspaper’s publication of comments from Chechen rebel leaders calling for peace talks.
Algerian journalist jailed for criminal defamation
New York, February 2, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the imprisonment of an Algerian journalist for criminal defamation. Bachir Larabi of the independent daily El-Khabar was arrested on January 21 at his home in the southwestern town of El-Bayadh and jailed the following day, local journalists told CPJ. He was convicted in absentia on…
Two journalists reportedly kidnapped in Baghdad
New York, February 1, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a report that two Iraqi broadcast journalists were abducted in western Baghdad today. Journalists Marwan Ghazal and Reem Zaeed, from the privately owned television station Samaria TV, were abducted by gunmen in Baghdad’s Yarmouk district after covering a meeting at the offices of…
France jails Ivoirian army officer over disappeared journalist
New York, February 1, 2006—French authorities have jailed an Ivoirian army officer in connection with the 2004 disappearance in Ivory Coast of journalist Guy-André Kieffer, according to Kieffer’s wife and Agence France-Presse. Osange Silou-Kieffer told CPJ today that Capt. Jean-Tony Oulaï was arrested on January 11 in Paris and is being questioned by a French…
Police break up media protests on first anniversary of Nepal royal coup
New York, February 1, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the beating and arrest of journalists Wednesday in demonstrations to mark one year since King Gyanendra seized absolute power and restricted media freedoms in Nepal. Local journalists told CPJ police used water cannon and batons to break up a protest in the capital Kathmandu. At…
Police confiscate copies of opposition newspaper
New York, February 1, 2006—Police in the southern Belarusian town of Zhlobin confiscated several hundred copies of Tovarishch (Comrade), the official newspaper of the Belarusian Communist Party, on Tuesday, the independent news agency Belapan reported. Vladimir Katsora, a Tovarishch distributor, was transporting copies to the city of Gomel. The seized issue contained coverage of the…