After attack, Kazakhstan publisher goes missing
New York, April 1, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Kazakh authorities today to immediately investigate the whereabouts of Daniyar Moldashev, director of ADP Ltd, publisher of the independent Almaty newspaper Respublika.Colleagues said Thursday that Moldashev had disappeared, days after being assaulted and shortly before the country’s presidential election.”We are gravely concerned about the…
Cameroonian reporter detained after questioning arrests
New York, April 1, 2011–Using a vague criminal code provision allowing authorities to detain individuals deemed a threat to public order, a provincial governor in Cameroon threw a journalist in prison on Wednesday for inquiring about the arrests of two employees of a state-run palm oil company, according to local journalists.
In Gaza, journalists attacked covering peaceful protests
New York, March 31, 2011–Hamas security forces assaulted and obstructed journalists trying to cover protests in Gaza on Wednesday, according to news reports and CPJ interviews. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the assaults and calls on the authorities in Gaza to end the harassment of journalists reporting from demonstrations.
Ecuadoran president sues critical news daily for defamation
New York, March 31, 2011–The critical Ecuadoran daily El Universo, three of its executives, and its opinion editor could face jail time and hefty fines in a defamation complaint filed by President Rafael Correa last week. Correa should immediately drop the defamation suit and bring the country’s press law into compliance with international standards on…
Diplomatic corps must act to free ailing Sri Lankan journalist
New York, March 31, 2001–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the international diplomatic community in Colombo to help secure the release of Lanka eNews website News Editor Bennet Rupasinghe. According to colleagues in Colombo and international news reports, Rupasinghe was arrested by police after responding to a summons. He was called to give a…
Reuters journalists under attack in Syria, Libya
New York, March 30, 2011–Reuters said today it was urgently seeking the safe return of two of its veteran journalists in Syria, one of whom was said to be in state custody while the other was reported missing. In Libya, meanwhile, a Reuters correspondent was expelled today without explanation.
Remembering South Sudan’s pioneer female reporter
When The Juba Post’s star reporter, Apollonia Mathia, told me that so-called “tong tong” rebels had attacked again near Gumba, in southern Sudan, I looked at her warily. “Let me get the camera I’ll check it out,” she said. Apollonia planned to hop on our rickety motorbike to cover a story about the infamous Ugandan…
Sexual assault: What tips exist for journalists
Last week, I spoke on a CBC program called “The Current” about journalists and sexual assault. Another panelist on the show, Columbia University professor Judith Matloff, noted there are some published lists of tips for female journalists that could be useful in dangerous situations. Here are a few: