Press Releases
2017
Iraq, Syria deadliest countries for journalists
Murders of Mexican journalists at highest number recorded New York, December 21, 2016–At least 42 journalists were killed in the course of their work in 2017, the Committee to Protect Journalists found in its annual analysis. While the overall number eased for a second consecutive year from record highs earlier this decade, at least six…
Record number of jailed journalists for second year, CPJ census finds
Turkey, China, Egypt continue to top list New York, December 13, 2017–For the second year in a row, the number of journalists imprisoned for their work hit a historical high, as the U.S. and other Western powers failed to pressure the world’s worst jailers–Turkey, China, and Egypt–into improving the bleak climate for press freedom, the…
Journalists honored for courageous reporting
International Press Freedom Awards go to imprisoned Cameroonian journalist, Mexican correspondent, Thai reporter, and Yemeni blogger New York, November 16, 2017–Journalists from Cameroon, Mexico, Thailand, and Yemen were honored Wednesday night at the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 27th annual International Press Freedom Awards for courageous work amid risks such as imprisonment, threats, and exile. The…
Impunity in the murders of journalists creates intractable cycle
Somalia tops CPJ’s 10th annual Global Impunity Index New York, October 31, 2017–A lack of justice in the murders of journalists can perpetuate a cycle of violence and impunity lasting a decade or more, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 2017 Global Impunity Index released today. The 10th annual report highlights countries where journalists…
Cameroon uses anti-terror law to silence critical press
New York, September 20, 2017–Cameroon’s broadly worded anti-terror law is being used by authorities to arrest and threaten local journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists found in a report released today. The report, “Journalists Not Terrorists: In Cameroon, anti-terror legislation is used to silence critics and suppress dissent,” finds that despite a presidential decree ending…
New website to track press freedom violations in United States
Coalition of more than 20 organizations launch nonpartisan U.S. Press Freedom Tracker New York, August 2, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists joined more than 20 press freedom organizations announcing the launch today of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a new nonpartisan website dedicated to documenting press freedom abuses across the United States. Led by the…
CPJ announces 2017 International Press Freedom Award winners
New York, July 18, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor journalists from Cameroon, Mexico, Thailand, and Yemen with its 2017 International Press Freedom Awards. The journalists have faced government harassment, death threats, or imprisonment in their pursuit of the truth. CPJ is also honoring PBS journalist Judy Woodruff with its inaugural Gwen Ifill Press…
CPJ welcomes Michael De Dora as Washington Advocacy Manager
New York,June 21, 2017 –The Committee to Protect Journalists has created the new position of Washington Advocacy Manager to lead efforts to advance press freedom around the world with the U.S. government and other policymakers in Washington, D.C. Michael De Dora will be the first to occupy the post.
Myanmar officials pledge to reform law used to jail journalists
မြန်မာဘာသာ Yangon, Myanmar, June 9, 2017–Legislation to remove criminal penalties from a law used to imprison journalists on defamation charges will soon be introduced in Myanmar’s legislature, a senior official of the Ministry of Information told a visiting delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday.
The Committee to Protect Journalists launches new Fellowships Program
New York, June 1, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today announced the launch of the Patti Birch Fellowships Program to honor the legacy of Patti Birch. The Patti and Everett B. Birch Foundation made a generous bequest to CPJ in early 2017 to honor Birch’s lifelong commitment to freedom of speech, freedom of the press,…