Pegasus spyware used to target Togolese journalists Loïc Lawson and Anani Sossou
New York, January 23, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by findings that the phones of Togolese journalists Loïc Lawson and Anani Sossou were infected with Pegasus spyware in 2021, and repeats its calls for an immediate moratorium on the use of such surveillance technologies and for legal proceedings against the journalists to be…
Taliban detains Ehsan Akbari, Afghan journalist with Japan’s Kyodo News
New York, January 22, 2024—Taliban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Afghan journalist Ehsan Akbari and stop harassing and detaining members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On January 17, the Taliban’s Government Media Information Center (GMIC) summoned Akbari, the assistant bureau chief of Japanese media outlet Kyodo…
Pakistani TV journalist Shoaib Burni injured in gun attack in Karachi
New York, January 19, 2024— Pakistan authorities must immediately investigate the attack against Suno News journalist Shoaib Burni, and hold the perpetrators accountable, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On January 14, an unknown number of unidentified gunmen on a motorbike shot Burni, who is the TV station’s bureau chief in Karachi, in the…
Ukrainian investigative journalist Yuriy Nikolov threatened, journalists with Bihus.Info under alleged surveillance
New York, January 18, 2024—Ukrainian authorities must conduct a swift and thorough investigation into threats made against journalist Yuriy Nikolov and alleged surveillance of journalists with investigative outlet Bihus.Info, and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On January 14, a group of unidentified people came to the apartment of…
Belarusian authorities start trial of Aliaksandr Ziankou, bring charges against Ales Sabaleuski, detain Yauhen Hlushkou
New York, January 18, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Belarusian authorities to drop all charges against journalist Aliaksandr Ziankou and to disclose the charges against journalist Ales Sabaleuski and the reason for the recent detention of journalist Yauhen Hlushkou. On January 12, Minsk City Court began the trial of Ziankou, a freelance photojournalist,…
Somaliland journalist Mohamed Abdi Sheikh detained after discussing diplomatic row
Nairobi, January 17, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on authorities in the breakaway region of Somaliland to unconditionally release MM Somali TV journalist Mohamed Abdi Sheikh and to guarantee that members of the press can freely cover diplomatic affairs. On January 6, intelligence agents raided the offices of MM Somali TV in…
Kyrgyzstan authorities raid news outlets 24.kg and Temirov Live, arrest journalists
Stockholm, January 16, 2024 — Kyrgyz authorities should drop criminal investigations into privately owned news website 24.kg and investigative outlet Temirov Live, release all detained current and former members of Temirov Live, and end their crackdown on the independent press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Monday, officers from Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for…
Targeting suspected in Ukraine hotel shelling that injured at least 2 journalists
New York, January 12, 2024 —The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday called on Russia to stop targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, after a missile strike on a hotel injured at least two journalists reporting on the war. On Wednesday evening, Russian forces shelled Park Hotel in Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, injuring Violetta-Anastasia Pedorich, a Ukrainian freelance…
Ukrainian journalist Oleh Baturyn receives threats online after report on politician
New York, January 9, 2024—Ukrainian authorities must conduct a swift and thorough investigation into violent threats made against journalist Oleh Baturyn, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On December 31, 2023, the Center of Journalistic Investigations, a Ukrainian independent investigative outlet, published a report, which said that Valery Saltykov, a member of Kherson Regional…
Azerbaijani authorities charge Kanal 13 journalists Aziz Orujov and Shamo Eminov over alleged foreign donor money, order channel blocked
Stockholm, January 8, 2024—Azerbaijani authorities should release journalists Aziz Orujov and Shamo Eminov, overturn a block on their outlet Kanal 13, and stop retaliating against critical independent media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On December 22, police in the capital, Baku, detained Eminov, a freelance reporter who contributes to the popular YouTube-based broadcaster…