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,…
Qatar detains Kenyan labor rights blogger Malcolm Bidali without charge
New York, May 18, 2021 – Qatari authorities should immediately disclose any charges against blogger Malcolm Bidali or release him, and not try to silence critical reporting on the country’s labor rights record ahead of the 2022 World Cup, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the night of May 4 to 5, Qatari…
Bangladeshi authorities arrest journalist Rozina Islam under Official Secrets Act
New York, May 17, 2021—The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Bangladeshi authorities to immediately release journalist Rozina Islam, withdraw the investigation into her, and to stop arresting journalists under the Official Secrets Act. Islam, a senior correspondent for the daily newspaper Prothom Alo, was arrested today after the Health Ministry filed a complaint…
Algerian police arrest at least 16 journalists, reporter Kenza Khattou remains in detention
New York, May 17, 2021 – Algerian authorities must immediately release journalist Kenza Khattou and cease detaining members of the press covering protests, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 14, police arrested Khattou, a reporter for local independent news website Radio M, while she was covering anti-government protests in downtown Algiers, according…
Venezuelan authorities seize headquarters of El Nacional as damages in defamation suit
Miami, May 17, 2021 Top of Form— Venezuelan authorities should ensure that civil defamation suits cannot be abused to censor news outlets, and should return El Nacional’s headquarters to its owners immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 7 p.m. on May 14, National Guard agents executing an order issued by a…
Russia freezes RFE/RL bureau’s accounts, designates news website VTimes as ‘foreign agent’
New York, May 17, 2021 – Russian authorities should unfreeze the accounts of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and cease labeling outlets as “foreign agents,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 14, Russian authorities froze the local bank accounts of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for allegedly failing to pay…
Malaysian cartoonist Zunar investigated over criticism of state official
Bangkok, May 17, 2021 – Malaysian authorities must cease their legal harassment of cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, known as Zunar, and drop any pending charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 7, police in the northern state of Kedah summoned Zunar, who publishes his political cartoons on the Malaysiakini news website, and questioned him…