US, UK, Interpol give Ghana phone hacking tools, CPJ investigation finds
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is investigating nearly 500 press freedom violations reported during protests in the U.S. since late May. Incidents include arrests, assaults, attacks with rubber bullets, pepper spray, and teargas, among others. The majority of the abuses were at the hands of police. A new investigation by CPJ’s senior Africa researcher, Jonathan…
Pakistani journalists beaten, detained in Balochistan prison without charge for 2 days
On June 19, 2020, agents with the Pakistani Balochistan Levies force, a law enforcement agency under the direction of the Balochistan district administration, detained and beat Saeed Ali Achakzai, a reporter with the privately owned TV channel Samaa TV, and Abdul Mateen Achakzai, a reporter for privately owned broadcaster Khyber TV, according to both journalists,…
Reported press freedom violations in Black Lives Matter protests near 500
New York, July 15, 2020—The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is investigating nearly 500 reported press freedom incidents since May 26, representing the unprecedented nature of attacks on journalists during recent nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. The incidents include journalists arrested, assaulted, hit with rubber bullets, pepper sprayed, tear gassed and threatened with weapons. A vast…
Hong Kong denies work permit to New York Times correspondent Chris Buckley
Taipei, July 15, 2020 – In response to the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s denial of New York Times reporter Chris Buckley’s work permit, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Barring a New York Times journalist from working in Hong Kong violates the fundamental promise of press freedom given repeatedly to the Hong…
Indian police arrest journalist Sharjeel Usmani in Uttar Pradesh
New Delhi, July 15, 2020 — Uttar Pradesh authorities must immediately release Sharjeel Usmani and drop any charges filed against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 8, anti-terror police officers in Azamgarh, a city in Uttar Pradesh state, arrested Usmani, a freelance reporter and writer at the news collective Maktoob, while…
Hackers delete social media content of independent Azerbaijani news outlet Meydan TV
On June 18, 2020, anonymous hackers deleted nearly all of the content from the Azeri-language Facebook page of Meydan TV, an independent Germany-based news outlet that covers Azerbaijan, according to Matthew Kasper, the outlet’s project head, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview. The hackers deleted all of Meydan TV’s Facebook posts since 2018,…
US, UK, Interpol give Ghana phone hacking tools, raising journalist concerns on safety and confidentiality
In May 2019, senior members of Ghana’s law enforcement posed for photos with the U.S. ambassador to their country at a ceremony in the capital, Accra. Between them they held boxes and bags, gifts from the U.S. government to Ghana which, according to one of the recipients, contained Israeli phone hacking technology. That recipient was…
Voice of America visa review could put journalists at risk
New York, July 13, 2020—The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern that the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s review of visas at Voice of America could endanger journalists who have worked for the international, U.S.-Congress funded news outlet. “Voice of America has brought independent news to tightly censored countries and offered journalists working in…
CPJ announces 2020 International Press Freedom awardees
New York, July 13, 2020–The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor four courageous journalists from Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria, and Russia with the 2020 International Press Freedom Awards. All four have been arrested or faced criminal prosecution in reprisal for their reporting. CPJ will also honor lawyer Amal Clooney with the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award. …