Italian police search journalist’s home, seize electronic devices
Berlin, September 19, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned an Italian prosecutor’s order to search the home of Salvo Palazzolo, a journalist for the daily newspaper La Repubblica, and seize the journalist’s electronic devices. On September 13, Italian police in Palermo, Sicily, seized Palazzolo’s mobile phone, tablet computer, and three hard drives during the…
Saudi airstrike hits Yemeni radio station
New York, September 17, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition’s airstrike on a Yemeni radio station yesterday. The airstrike against the Ansar Allah-controlled Al-Maraweah Radio Broadcasting Center, located in Al-Maraweah District in Hodeida Governorate, killed three employees as well as a civilian in the vicinity of the building, according…
Abuja court dismisses case against Nigerian journalist Jones Abiri
New York, September 17, 2018–An Abuja magistrate’s court today struck out a case against Jones Abiri, publisher and editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Weekly Source, Samuel Ogala, a lawyer who represents Abiri, told CPJ. The court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction over the state where the alleged wrongdoing took place, Ogala said. Abiri, who…
DRC journalist jailed for criminal defamation
Goma, September 14, 2018–Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo should immediately release Tharcisse Zongia, editor-in-chief of the satirical weekly Grognon, who was jailed on September 6 in Kinshasa for criminal defamation, and take action to abolish the country’s criminal defamation laws, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Bulgarian police detain two investigative reporters
Bulgarian police on September 13, 2018 detained Attila Biro, editor of the Romanian investigative site Rise Project, and Dimitar Stoyanov, from Bivol, a Bulgarian investigative news website, according to reports. The investigative journalists were detained near Radomir, a town about 35 km west of the capital, Sofia, Bivol reported.
Iraqi authorities shut down internet, detain and assault journalists amid protests
Between July 14 and September 6, 2018, at least seven Iraqi journalists were assaulted or detained while covering protests over government corruption and the lack of basic services in several cities across Iraq, and the offices of two local media outlets were set on fire, according to news reports, the journalists’ employers, the local press…
CPJ calls on EU to keep up pressure on Hungary amid press freedom concerns
Brussels, September 12, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed the vote by members of the European Parliament in favor of a resolution against Hungary for breaching EU values, and called on the bloc to keep up pressure on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government.
Drop in journalist killings in Pakistan masks decline in press freedom
CPJ report finds military pressures media to self-censor Washington D.C., September 12, 2018–Pakistan’s press is under pressure as the country’s powerful military quietly but effectively encourages self-censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists found in its report, “Acts of Intimidation: In Pakistan, journalists’ fear and censorship grow even as fatal violence declines.” The report will be…
Acts of Intimidation: In Pakistan, journalists’ fear and censorship grow even as fatal violence declines
As killings of journalists in Pakistan decline so too does press freedom, as the country’s powerful military quietly, but effectively, restricts reporting by barring access, encouraging self-censorship through direct and indirect acts of intimidation, and even allegedly instigating violence against reporters. Journalists who push back or are overly critical of authorities are attacked, threatened, or…