Tanzanian court convicts Maxence Melo of obstructing investigation, levies fine
Nairobi, April 9, 2020— In response to a Tanzanian court’s conviction yesterday of Maxence Melo, founder of the online discussion and whistleblowing platform Jamii Forums, on charges of obstructing police investigations, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:
CPJ joins partners in nationwide campaign to show gratitude for journalists during COVID-19
Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), along with CPJ and a core coalition of over 40 local and national media and nonprofit partners, announced the launch of a joint bilingual campaign to recognize the #PRESSential workers, and #ThankAJourno for their efforts on the frontlines of COVID-19. The coalition is asking…
Speed, Clarity, Context: The New York Times’ Billie Sweeney on editing ‘Coronavirus Live Update’
In early February, only eight weeks ago but in a parallel universe that no longer exists, I invited Billie Sweeney, a senior staff editor at The New York Times, to tour the new CPJ office and visit with old friends. For nine years, from 2004 to 2013, Billie worked as CPJ’s editorial director, overseeing all…
Somali journalist Abdalle Ahmed Mumin says there is ‘nobody to trust’ for COVID-19 information
Somali freelance journalist Abdalle Ahmed Mumin has covered the news for 17 years, spending much of that time in one of the most dangerous places in the world to work as a journalist. Since CPJ started keeping records in 1992, at least 69 journalists have been killed in Somalia for their work.
Turkey amnesty bill would release 90,000 prisoners, but no journalists
New York, April 7, 2020 — In response to the Turkish Parliament’s proposed bill that would release 90,000 prisoners to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but which would not free journalists held as political prisoners, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:
CPJ Insider: Urgent call to #FreeThePress, COVID-19 updates, and more
CPJ Insider: Spring 2020 Edition Thank you for your incredible support of CPJ during these unprecedented times. We are especially grateful to Twitter for its recent gift of $500,000 in support of our work to confront press freedom violations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our staff is working remotely—as a result, we may be slightly delayed…