CPJ joins statement demanding justice for Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined 18 other international press freedom and human rights organizations in a statement calling on Maltese authorities to conduct a thorough and effective criminal investigation into the killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, and to ensure those responsible are held to account. The statement expressed concern that, on the…
Three years without justice for assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
Tomorrow marks the third anniversary of the assassination of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who reported on corruption and as part of the Panama Papers investigation. Impunity persists in Caruana Galizia’s murder, and CPJ continues to call on the Maltese government to carry out an independent inquiry and hold those responsible to account. In…
Foreign reporters describe safety concerns covering US elections and protests
Covering elections as a foreign correspondent in the United States has traditionally meant press conferences, long days at political rallies, and road trips through rural America. This year, however, amid the spread of COVID-19, curtailed campaigns, civil unrest, visa issues, and an unpredictable political environment, the elections beat has been particularly challenging for foreign reporters….
Journalists and media offices threatened, attacked in Kyrgyzstan as post-election unrest continues
New York, October 15, 2020 – Kyrgyz authorities should immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for threatening and attacking journalists covering post-election unrest in the country, and implement measures to protect members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In Kyrgyzstan, a number of attacks on journalists and threats to media outlets…
Egyptian security forces detain brother of Darb editor Khaled el-Balshy
New York, October 13, 2020 – Egyptian authorities must immediately release Kamal el-Balshy and stop harassing the families of journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 20, state security forces arrested Kamal el-Balshy, who works at an international travel agency, while he was returning home from the gym in downtown Cairo, according…
South African journalists attacked covering farmer protest
New York, October 9, 2020 — South African authorities must conduct a swift and transparent investigation into recent attacks on journalists covering protests held by farmers, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 6, in the Free State province town of Senekal, a protesting farmer harassed and…
Shelling injures 2 Russian journalists in Nagorno-Karabakh; Armenian government revokes journalist’s accreditation
New York, October 8, 2020 — Authorities in Armenia and Azerbaijan must ensure the safety of journalists covering the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and allow them to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yuriy Kotenok, chief editor of the conservative Russian news website Segodnia.ru, and Levon Arzanov, a correspondent from the Russian state-run…
Islamic State militants extradited to US to face charges for murders of journalists Foley and Sotloff
This is the 100th edition of The Torch. We would like to thank our readers for their support the past two years. Send us an email if you have feedback for us, and if you are interested in receiving additional press freedom updates for a specific region, sign up here. This week, two Islamic State…
Australia’s Northern Territory denies news website NT Independent access to government events
New York, October 8, 2020 — The Australian Northern Territory government should immediately grant the NT Independent news website equal access to government events and conferences, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The Northern Territory government has refused to allow the NT Independent, which covers politics and local news in the territory, access to…
CPJ Insider: Press freedom accountability project, journalists freed, and more
Press Freedom Accountability Project On May 26, 2020, the day after George Floyd was killed, two reporters covering a demonstration in Minneapolis were struck by projectiles. Since then, the number of press freedom violations during Black Lives Matter protests has risen dramatically. More than 850 violations have been reported to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker—which…