Five Myanmar journalists freed from prison as part of mass amnesty
Bangkok, July 31, 2015–Five journalists jailed on anti-state charges in Myanmar were released on Thursday in a presidential amnesty of nearly 7,000 prisoners, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the journalists’ release but calls on Myanmar authorities to release all other journalists imprisoned in the country.
CPJ calls on IOC to ensure press freedom at 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing
New York, July 31, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the decision to award the 2022 Winter Olympic Games to Beijing and calls on the International Olympic Committee to ensure that journalists are able to freely cover all aspects of the Games, including sensitive issues such as construction of the venues, possible protests,…
International coalition marks anniversary of crackdown on rights in Azerbaijan
A year after the Azerbaijani government launched an unprecedented crackdown on human rights including press freedom, the situation in the country continues to deteriorate, the Sports for Rights coalition said today. The coalition of international organizations, including CPJ, released a statement today to mark the anniversary of what is widely described as the worst government…
Journalist attacked after covering protest in South Africa
Luvuyo Mehlwana, a reporter for the Daily Sun, one of the highest-circulated daily newspapers in South Africa, told CPJ he was kicked and beaten after covering a protest in the Northern Areas of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth on July 27, 2015.
Congressional Hearing: Threats to Press Freedom in the Americas
Carlos Lauría, Senior Coordinator for the Americas, Committee to Protect Journalists will testify at the Congressional Hearing: Threats to Press Freedom in the Americas on July 29. The event will cover a description of the state of press freedom in the Americas, paying particular attention to the challenges journalists are facing in the region at-large…
‘I don’t want to die here’: Gao Yu’s health deteriorates in Beijing prison
The lawyer for jailed Chinese journalist Gao Yu says the freelance reporter’s health has declined since she was sentenced in April to seven years in prison for leaking state secrets. Shang Baojun, who visited Gao in Beijing No.1 Detention Center on July 28, told CPJ that Gao says she is scared she will die in…
Violence and censorship are weakening Latin America democracies
CPJ’s Carlos Lauría testifies at congressional hearing on press freedom in the Americas Washington, D.C., July 29, 2015–Deadly violence against the press in the Americas has caused censorship to reach one of its highest points in recent decades, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ senior program coordinator for the Americas, Carlos Lauría, said today in remarks…
In Taiwan, three journalists arrested at student protest
Three journalists were arrested in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, on July 23, 2015 while covering a student protest, according to reports. Liao Chen-hui, a photographer for Liberty Times, Sung Hsiao-hai, a reporter for Coolloud Collective, and freelance reporter Lin Yu-yu were released without charge the following day, according to reports.
Turkish authorities block access to news websites
New York, July 28, 2015–Turkish authorities blocked access to at least eight news websites in Turkey on Saturday amid what the government called a counter-terrorism operation, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Turkish authorities to restore access to the websites so that Turkish citizens can access news of public interest.