Turkmen security officials threaten, harass families of two exiled journalists
Stockholm, May 26, 2021 – Turkmen authorities must immediately end the practice of harassing exiled journalists’ family members and allow all Turkmen journalists based abroad to return to the country and report in safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On a number of occasions between March and May this year, officers of the…
Unidentified men attack, bind, and gag Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor at his home in Islamabad
Washington, D.C., May 26, 2021 — Pakistan authorities must launch a credible investigation into the assault of journalist Asad Ali Toor and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday evening, three unidentified men beat, bound, and gagged Toor inside his apartment in Islamabad, according to news reports and the…
UK online safety bill raises censorship concerns and questions on future of encryption
The U.K. government emphasized press freedom this month when it published the draft online safety bill for social media companies, pledging that the bill would protect both “citizen journalism” and “recognized news publishers” from censorship. Vocal segments of the media not only welcomed the legislation, but actively campaigned for it. When Oliver Dowden, secretary of…
Iranian journalist Najaf Mehdipour imprisoned with no charges disclosed
Washington, D.C., May 24, 2021 — Iranian authorities must immediately release journalist Najaf Mehdipour, known as Kaveh, and stop arbitrarily arresting members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 18, authorities in the eastern city of Darreh Shahr, in Ilam province, arrested Mehdipour, a freelance journalist, at his home and…
CPJ welcomes Gypsy Guillén Kaiser as advocacy and communications director
New York, May 24, 2021–The Committee to Protect Journalists is pleased to announce that Gypsy Guillén Kaiser has joined CPJ as advocacy and communications director. Guillén Kaiser will be integral in CPJ’s efforts to advance press freedom globally as part of the organization’s senior leadership. “Gypsy Guillén Kaiser joins us in this role during an…
Oromia Broadcasting Network journalist Sisay Fida shot and killed in Ethiopia
Nairobi, May 21, 2021 — Ethiopian authorities must swiftly and credibly investigate the killing of reporter Sisay Fida and guarantee the safety of journalists in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On the evening of May 9, two unidentified attackers in the town of Dembi Dollo, in the Oromia region, shot and…
Nicaraguan police raid Confidencial office, briefly detain camera operator Leonel Gutiérrez
Guatemala City, May 21, 2021 — Nicaraguan authorities must return confiscated equipment to Confidencial, allow its staff to enter their offices, and refrain from harassing independent media outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At 9 a.m. yesterday, riot police officers surrounded the independent news website Confidencial’s office in Managua, and about 90 minutes…
CPJ condemns Ethiopia’s expulsion of New York Times reporter Simon Marks
Nairobi, May 21, 2021—In response to Ethiopia’s expulsion yesterday of New York Times reporter Simon Marks following allegations of “fake news” about the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Ethiopia’s decision to expel Simon Marks, without warning or explanation, exposes the government’s disturbing efforts to control…
Journalist Nurgeldi Halykov jailed in Turkmenistan since September 2020 on fraud charges
Stockholm, May 21, 2021 – Turkmen authorities should immediately release journalist Nurgeldi Halykov from prison and allow him and all other journalists to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 15, 2020, the Bagtyýarlyk District Court in Ashgabat, the capital, sentenced Halykov, a freelance correspondent working for the independent Netherlands-based news…
Zimbabwe journalists charged with criminal insult over interview on politician’s personal life
New York, May 21, 2021 — Zimbabwean authorities must immediately drop the insult charges against two journalists with the Zim Morning Post news website and repeal the country’s criminal insult laws, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 14, officers from the Law and Order section of the Central Police Station in Harare,…