Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor arrested after responding to summons for questioning
New York, February 26, 2024—Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency arrested independent journalist Asad Ali Toor on Monday after he was ordered to appear for questioning in connection to an alleged “explicit and malicious” campaign against Supreme Court judges, according to news reports and the journalist’s lawyer, Imaan Mazari-Hazir, who spoke to CPJ. Toor operates Asad Toor…
Iraqi publisher survives assassination attempt in Baghdad
Beirut, February 26, 2024—An unknown number of armed and masked individuals in two trucks fired at least 17 times on the car of prominent Iraqi publisher and politician Fakhri Karim on Thursday before fleeing, according to multiple media reports and Facebook statements by his outlet. The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday urged Iraqi authorities…
French journalist Antoine Galindo detained in Ethiopia
New York, February 26, 2024—Ethiopian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release French journalist Antoine Galindo, who was unjustly detained on Thursday under alarming circumstances, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Monday. On February 22, at 3:55 p.m., Galindo, who reports for the Paris-based privately owned news website Africa Intelligence, was detained by security forces…
CPJ calls on Mexico’s president not to disclose journalists’ personal information
Mexico City, February 23, 2022 – Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador must refrain from publicizing the personal information of journalists and respect privacy laws in the most dangerous country for journalists in the Western Hemisphere, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Thursday, López Obrador responded to a request for comment during his daily press…
Zimbabwe’s The NewsHawks freezes military story over fears for journalists’ safety
Lusaka, February 22, 2024—Zimbabwean authorities must end the intimidation and surveillance of journalists working for The NewsHawks online newspaper and ensure they can report safely about the military, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Friday. The NewsHawks, a privately owned investigative online newspaper, announced on Tuesday that it had halted further reporting on its…
Indian journalist Jyotiranjan Mohapatra attacked with sword in Bhubaneswar
New Delhi, February 23, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday called upon the authorities in the eastern Indian state of Odisha to prosecute those responsible for the assault on Jyotiranjan Mohapatra, a reporter with privately owned news broadcaster Bada Khabar TV. At around 11 p.m. on February 10, four unidentified individuals on two motorcycles…
CPJ urges Nigerian authorities to investigate attacks on journalists following court judgment
Abuja, February 22, 2024—Nigerian authorities must comply with a federal high court judgment ordering the government to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for attacking journalists in Nigeria, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. In 2021 Nigerian local press freedom group Media Rights Agenda (MRA) filed a lawsuit requesting the court to compel the federal government…
Indian journalist Santu Pan arrested, 3 others assaulted in West Bengal violence
New Delhi, February 21, 2024—Indian authorities must drop the charges against journalist Santu Pan, who was arrested live on air while reporting on allegations of abuse by West Bengal officials, and investigate the earlier assault of three journalists reporting on clashes related to one of those officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday….
Chinese director Chen Pinlin arrested over White Paper protest documentary
Taipei, February 22, 2024—Chinese authorities must immediately release documentary director Chen Pinlin, drop all legal proceedings, and allow journalists to document demonstrations, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On February 18, Chinese authorities charged Chen, who published a documentary on anti-COVID restriction protests in late 2023, with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” according to…
At least 4 journalists briefly detained in Russia over memorials to Navalny
New York, February 21, 2024—Russian authorities should refrain from detaining journalists who cover gatherings in memory of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and let members of the press report freely on events of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. At least four journalists were briefly detained last Friday and Saturday while reporting on gatherings to…