CPJ CALLS FOR RELEASE OF FRENCH JOURNALISTS ABDUCTED IN IRAQ
New York, August 30, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the abduction of two French journalists in Iraq and calls for their immediate and unconditional release. In a videotape aired on Saturday, August 28, by the Qatar-based Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera, a group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq claimed responsibility for abducting Christian…
CPJ CONDEMNS MURDER OF ITALIAN FREELANCE JOURNALIST
New York, August 27, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned as “senseless and reprehensible” the murder of Italian freelance journalist Enzo Baldoni, who disappeared while traveling to the southern city of Najaf last week and was kidnapped by a militant group. The Qatar-based news channel Al-Jazeera reported late yesterday that it received a video…
CPJ concerned about reports of intimidation
New York, August 27, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is concerned about reports of intimidation against Nicaraguan journalist Sergio León Corea, who has been writing about drug trafficking and police corruption in Bluefields for the Managua-based daily La Prensa. León Corea, a correspondent in Bluefields on the Caribbean coast, told CPJ that early on…
Gunman arrested in case of murdered journalist
New York, August 27, 2004—Police arrested a suspected gunman yesterday in the August 4 killing of Batangas City journalist Arnel Manalo, according to local news reports. Police believe that the suspect, Michael Garcia, was hired by local political leader Tony Mendoza, who has not yet been charged with murder. Gunmen ambushed and killed Manalo, 42,…
Editor stabbed as he leaves office
New York, August 26, 2004—Two unidentified assailants stabbed the editor of the Marathi-language daily Mahanagar outside his office in Mumbai on the evening of August 24. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is investigating whether the attack was related to Sajid Rashid’s work as a journalist. The men approached Rashid, 48, as he was leaving…
POLICE STORM NAJAF HOTEL, DETAIN AND THREATEN DOZENS OF JOURNALISTS
New York, August 26, 2004—Iraqi police, some masked and firing weapons, threatened and detained dozens of journalists Wednesday night at a hotel in the southern city of Najaf, where U.S. forces have battled with Shiite insurgents for several weeks. The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged by this “thuggery,” Executive Director Ann Cooper said today.…
Photographer assaulted after taking pictures of official’s villa
New York, August 25, 2004—Armenian photojournalist Mkhitar Khachatryan was assaulted after photographing the opulent homes of government officials in the central Armenian resort city of Tsakhkadzor yesterday, according to local and international press reports. Khachatryan, with the news agency Fotolur, and Anna Israelyan, a correspondent with the independent daily Aravot, were reporting on damages caused…
Media activist and editors sued; millions sought
New York, August 25, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the civil libel suit filed this week by the telecommunications giant Shin Corporation against media activist Supinya Klangnarong. The lawsuit seeks damages of Bt400 million (US$10 million). The Thai-language newspaper the Thai Post and three of its editors—Thaweesin Sathitrattanacheewin, Roj Ngammaen, and Kannikar Wiriyakul—are…
Journalist killed
New York, August 25, 2004—Kamal Hossain, the local correspondent for the Bangla-language daily Ajker Kagoj, was abducted and brutally murdered by unknown assailants in the early morning of Sunday, August 22, in Manikcchari, eastern Chittagong District, according to local news reports. The newswire service the United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported that police discovered Hossain’s…
Italian journalist kidnapped; two French reporters still missing
New York, August 24, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is very concerned about the reported abduction in Iraq of Italian freelance journalist Enzo Baldoni, the 12th journalist kidnapped by an armed group in Iraq this year. A group calling itself the “Islamic Army in Iraq” claimed responsibility for the abduction and called on Italy…