Nepal’s hard-fought press freedom at risk amid restrictive bills, government pressure
Last year, when Raju Basnet was covering landgrabs in the Nepali city of Lalitpur, he knew he was playing with fire. His reports in the weekly Khojtalas alleged that powerful people, including government officials, were involved in the scheme and Basnet had already received multiple warnings to back off the story. Despite this, Basnet told…
In Turkey, reporting is a daily struggle
Turkey is notorious as a leading jailer of journalists worldwide, a fact that can overshadow the other problems for its press. Alongside the risk of arrest, journalists must contend with daily interference. From police denying reporters access to courtrooms, arbitrarily moving them on or forcing them to leave certain areas when they are reporting on…
We couldn’t have done this without you: a note from CPJ’s advocacy director
Dear friend of CPJ, As the year draws to a close, we want to thank you for your support and share some of the press freedom successes of the past year. Often, positive developments are public in nature; a conviction is secured for a journalist’s murder, a draconian piece of legislation is struck down, a…
Assailants attack Rave Television journalist, break camera during Nigeria protest
On November 9, 2019, a group of people attacked Jimoh Ogirima, a journalist with the privately owned broadcaster Rave Television, in Nigeria’s southern Edo State, and damaged his camera while he filmed a protest, according to the news website Newspad, the Ghana-based press freedom organization Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), and Ogirima, who spoke…
Benin authorities arrest journalist Ignace Sossou, question him about Facebook posts
Vancouver, Canada, December 23, 2019 — Authorities in Benin should immediately release and halt efforts to intimidate journalist Ignace Sossou and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
British Virgin Islands law to impose fines, jail terms for online defamation
Miami, December 23, 2019 — British Virgin Islands Governor Augustus Jaspert should reject cybercrime legislation recently approved by the territory’s legislature, or require revisions to the bill to protect press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Saudi court sentences 8 for Jamal Khashoggi killing
New York, December 23, 2019 — The Saudi public prosecutor’s office announced today that a court had sentenced five people to death and three to jail terms for their roles in the October 2018 killing of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which took place in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, according to…
A letter from CPJ’s Washington Advocacy Manager
Dear friend of CPJ, Happy Holidays from Washington, D.C.! As we reflect on our accomplishments in 2019, we can’t help but take stock of the challenges we faced. President Trump continues to use his platform to attack the press, giving a stamp of approval to dictators and autocrats who imprison and murder journalists. Congress is…