Lebanese minister prevents three journalists from attending news conference
Lebanese Telecommunications Minister Jamal al-Jarrah prevented Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) reporter Bassam Abou Zeid, LBCI cameraman Zaki Fagali, and Al-Jadeed TV cameraman Mohammad al-Samra from covering a June 22, 2017, news conference in Beirut, according to news reports and the Skeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom.
Burton Benjamin Memorial Award
From 1991 to 2016, CPJ presented the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award to individuals who show extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom. The Burton Benjamin Award is named for Burton Benjamin, who was senior executive producer at CBS News and served briefly as chair of CPJ’s board of directors before his death…
Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award
In 2017, CPJ’s Burton Benjamin Memorial Award was renamed the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award to honor the veteran journalist and former CPJ board member, who died in 2016. The award is presented annually to an individual who has shown extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom. Ifill was the award-winning moderator…
Mexican journalist says he was attacked, threatened by police
Mexico City, June 29, 2017–Mexican authorities should swiftly and credibly investigate the alleged assault of journalist Rubén Pat, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Pat, the co-founder of the online news resource Semanario Playa News, told CPJ that police beat him, detained him overnight, and threatened him for his reporting.
Journalist assaulted covering protest in Beirut
A security officer in civilian clothes and a uniformed soldier on June 16, 2017, struck French freelance journalist Philippine de Clermont Tonnere as she covered a protest in Beirut against a third extension of the Lebanese parliament’s term, the journalist told the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Kyrgyzstan holds three trials in one day against independent outlet
New York, June 29, 2017–Kyrgyzstan should drop all charges against the independent media organization ProMedia and its co-founder, Naryn Idinov, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. A Bishkek district court held three separate hearings today into charges of insult made against ProMedia, which runs the independent online news agency Zanoza, and Idinov who edits…
CPJ calls for release of Zagros TV journalist detained in Syria
The Committee to Protect Journalists writes to the co-chairs of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria and authorities governing the Cizire Canton in Syria, to request the release of Zagros TV journalist Barzan Hussein Liani, whom security forces detained in May.
CPJ Highlights: June edition
CPJ will use Gianforte settlement funds to document press freedom violations in U.S. The $50,000 CPJ received as part of a settlement in June from Montana then Congressman-elect Greg Gianforte will be used to help underwrite a project we are working on in partnership with other organizations including the Freedom of the Press Foundation, based…