Venezuelan freelance photographer detained, sent to military prison
New York, September 7, 2018–Venezuelan authorities should immediately release and drop all charges against freelance photographer Jesus Medina Ezaine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. A court in the capital Caracas on August 31 ordered Medina to military prison; he was detained August 29 after working on a reporting project at a hospital and…
China arrests Uighur editor, newspaper directors for being ‘two-faced’
Taipei, September 7, 2018–Chinese authorities should immediately release Ilham Weli, Xinjiang Daily’s deputy editor-in-chief, Memtimin Obul and Juret Haji, directors at the newspaper, and Mirkamil Ablimit, the head of the newspaper’s subsidiary Xinjiang Farmer’s Daily, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Journalists in Yemen under attack from all sides as rival forces crack down on critics
In its report released late last month, the U.N. Human Rights Council found that all groups involved in the Yemen conflict–from the government-controlled south, with its militias propped up by the UAE-led coalition and loyal to the secessionist Southern Transitional Council, and areas held by the rebel Ansar Allah or Houthi movement–were responsible for widespread…
Uzbekistan arrests at least four bloggers over posts on religious issues
New York, September 6, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Uzbek authorities to end their harassment of bloggers covering religious issues, and to release at least four individuals arrested for their writing. Police in several Uzbek cities made arrests between August 28 and September 4, according to media reports.
Newspaper journalist assaulted and briefly abducted in Kenya
Nairobi, September 6, 2018–Authorities in Kenya should carry out a thorough investigation and bring to justice those responsible for the September 3 assault and abduction of Daily Nation journalist Barrack Oduor and the death of his source, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Two TOLO News journalists killed in Afghanistan double bombing
Washington, D.C., September 5, 2018–At least two journalists were killed today in a double bombing in the Afghan capital, Kabul, according to news reports. TOLO News published that its reporter Samim Faramarz and cameraman Ramiz Ahmadi were killed by the second blast while covering the first, which occurred at a wrestling club in a Shi’ite…
Benin newspaper suspended over its critical reporting of the president
Goma, September 5, 2018–Authorities in Benin should immediately reverse an order to suspend indefinitely the privately owned daily, La Nouvelle Tribune, and allow it to continue operating without interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
CPJ calls on Mexico to fund journalist protection mechanism
CPJ is deeply concerned about the imminent gap in financing that threatens the operation of the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, and urges the Mexican federal government to take immediate action to guarantee continued and sufficient funding. The institution provides protective measures to over 700 journalists and human rights defenders.
Ukraine court grants prosecutors access to investigative reporter’s phone records
New York, September 4, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned a Ukrainian court’s decision to grant the country’s prosecutor general’s office permission to access the phone records of Natalie Sedletska, a reporter, editor, and television presenter for Schemes, an investigative journalism project of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Ukrainian Service.