Journalist gets death threats after murder report
New York, January 23, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by death threats made against journalist Diro César González after his newspaper reported on a murder investigation in northeastern Santander province and the detention of a paramilitary fighter in connection with the killing. The journalist told CPJ that he and his wife have been…
After months in prison, Iraqi journalist freed without charge
New York, January 23, 2006—The U.S. military freed an Iraqi television cameraman on Sunday after holding the journalist without charge for nearly eight months. Samir Mohammed Noor, a freelancer working for Reuters, was released from detention in Camp Bucca in southern Iraq. The military continues to hold without charge at least one journalist in Iraq…
CPJ condemns expulsion of leading foreign journalist
New York, January 23, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged at the Ethiopian government’s weekend expulsion of The Associated Press correspondent in the country. Anthony Mitchell, who reported news on Friday of renewed clashes between police and protesters in the capital, Addis Ababa, left on Sunday after government officials gave him 24 hours to…
Editor detained, harassment continues in Nepal
New York, January 23, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the detention on Sunday of Khem Bhandari, editor and publisher of the daily newspaper Abhiyan in the western city of Mahendranagar. The government gave no reason for Bhandari’s arrest. Shyam Shrestha, editor of the monthly magazine Mulyankan who was detained last Wednesday in Kathmandu, remained…
CPJ appeals to Pakistan for return of abducted journalist
New York, January 23, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists appealed today to Pakistani authorities to answer inquiries about the fate of abducted reporter Hayatullah Khan and to stop harassing journalists in the tribal areas. On the eve of a White House meeting between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and U.S. President George W. Bush, CPJ…
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…