Stewards of a tradition’LA Times Editor Carroll reminds journalists of heroes and values
New York, November 24, 2004—The gap widens each year between contemporary journalists who work in multi-faceted news corporations and the journalistic “heroes” of the past, Los Angeles Times Editor John Carroll told a crowd of 850 who gathered at the Waldorf-Astoria Tuesday to honor reporters and editors who risked everything to report the news.
Editor acquitted of “divisionism,” convicted of defamation
New York, November 23, 2004—The editor of Umuseso, Rwanda’s only independent newspaper, was acquitted today on a criminal charge of ethnic “divisionism,” but convicted of defamation for a story that raised questions about parliament’s vice president. Charles Kabonero averted a prison sentence, but was ordered to pay a fine of 8,500 Rwandan francs (US$15) and…
Could face three years in prison for espionage
New York, November 18, 2004—George Buhnici, a reporter for the Romanian private television station Pro-TV, was detained yesterday by Bulgarian border police in the northern Bulgarian city of Ruse while he was trying to return to Romania, according to The Associated Press. The Bulgarian information agency Focus reported that he was arrested for using a…
Klebnikov family calls for journalists worldwide to probe editor’s unsolved murder
Washington, November 18, 2004—The family of slain journalist Paul Klebnikov is calling on reporters worldwide to launch an investigation into the unsolved murder of the Forbes Russia editor, gunned down in a contract-style slaying outside his Moscow office in July, the journalist’s brother said today. “In this awful tragedy there are seeds of hope. We’ve…
Journalist convicted of criminal contempt
EDITOR’S NOTE: Corrected version, 11/19/04, below New York, November 18, 2004—A federal court today convicted Jim Taricani, a reporter at WJAR-TV, an NBC Universal–owned station in Providence, Rhode Island, of criminal contempt for refusing to reveal a confidential source. Sentencing is set for December 9, and Taricani faces up to six months behind bars, according…
Klebnikov family calls for journalists worldwide to probe editor’s unsolved murder
Washington, November 18, 2004—The family of slain journalist Paul Klebnikov is calling on reporters worldwide to launch an investigation into the unsolved murder of the Forbes Russia editor, gunned down in a contract-style slaying outside his Moscow office in July, the journalist’s brother said today. “In this awful tragedy there are seeds of hope. We’ve…
Journalist detained in Fallujah by U.S. troops
New York, November 17, 2004—A freelance journalist working for The Associated Press and the Arabic-language, Dubai-based satellite channel Al-Arabiya has been detained by U.S. troops in Fallujah since November 11, according to staff at Al-Arabiya. Najwa Kassem, a correspondent for Al-Arabiya, told CPJ that the station lost contact with Abdel Kader Saadi, a reporter and…
Independent newspaper editor tried on criminal charges
New York, November 16, 2004—The editor of Umuseso, a Rwandan language independent weekly, was tried today on criminal charges of defamation and “divisionism” in connection with an article that accused parliamentary Vice President Denis Polisi of plotting to seize power. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the trial, saying journalists should not be criminally prosecuted…
TWO JOURNALISTS MURDERED IN THE PHILIPPINES
New York, November 15, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the two fatal attacks on Philippine journalists over the weekend, the latest killings in an already record-breaking year for violence against the press in the Philippines. An unidentified gunman shot photographer Gene Boyd Lumawag, of the MindaNews news service, in the head, killing him…
CPJ disappointed by dissolution of local press freedom group
New York, November 12, 2004—The noted Argentine press freedom organization PERIODISTAS dissolved yesterday amid internal differences. The group, which was established nine years ago to defend local journalists against press freedom abuses, said in a press release that, “after a long internal discussion about the association’s main goals, it was impossible to find a consensus…