Some much-needed good news: Journalists released in Turkey and Egypt after years behind bars
Some long-overdue good news. After several painful years behind bars, three journalists imprisoned in Turkey and Egypt are finally free and reunited with their families. On Wednesday, it was announced that Egyptian journalists Solafa Magdy and Hossam el-Sayyad were released, after having been imprisoned since November 2019. Separately, in Turkey, prominent journalist Ahmet Altan was…
Kazakh journalist Aigul Utepova tried over political coverage
New York, March 31, 2021 – Kazakh authorities should immediately release journalist Aigul Utepova from house arrest, drop all charges against her, and allow her to work safely and freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On March 15, the Saryarkinsky District Court in Nur-Sultan, the capital, commenced Utepova’s trial on charges of participating…
India state assembly elections 2021: Journalist safety guide
India is scheduled to hold legislative assembly elections in the states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry in March, April, and May 2021. Media workers covering any of these elections should be aware of the potential risk of physical attack, intimidation, and harassment; online bullying; COVID-19 exposure; arrest and detention; and government…
Somali journalist Jamal Farah Adan shot and killed, Al-Shabaab claims responsibility
Nairobi, March 4, 2021 — Authorities in the Somali semi-autonomous region of Puntland should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the killing of journalist Jamal Farah Adan and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the evening of March 1, two unidentified men shot and killed Jamal outside…
Turkey to begin retrial of RSF representative, other press freedom advocates on terrorism charges
Istanbul, February 1, 2021 – Turkish authorities should immediately drop all charges against the journalists and press freedom advocates currently facing a second trial on trumped-up terrorism charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On February 3, the Thirteenth Istanbul Court of Serious Crimes is scheduled to begin hearings in the retrial of Erol…
Rio de Janeiro Military Police publish video criticizing, insulting journalist Rafael Soares
In the evening of December 8, 2020, the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro published a video on its website and official YouTube and Twitter accounts in response to an article that Rafael Soares, a security reporter for national newspapers O Globo and Extra, had published previously that day. Soares’ article concerned a Military Police…
Two journalists detained in Mali for weeks over criticism of judiciary
New York, December 8, 2020 — Malian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Adama Diarra and Seydou Oumar Traoré from custody and allow them to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 20, Diarra, also known as Vieux Blen, received a summons from Mali’s Judicial Investigations Brigade, a local law…
Israeli security forces arrest Palestinian journalist Tareq Abu Zeid in Nablus
New York, October 6, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern about the recent arrest of Palestinian freelance journalist Tareq Abu Zeid by Israeli security forces. On October 1, Israeli security forces raided Abu Zeid’s home in the northern West Bank city of Nablus and arrested him, according to news reports and…
Investigative journalist Paola Ugaz faces criminal defamation suit in Peru
New York, September 22, 2020 — Peruvian authorities must stop the campaign of legal harassment against journalist Paola Ugaz and take steps to reform the country’s criminal defamation laws, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, the Ninth Criminal Court of Lima held the first hearing in a criminal defamation trial for Ugaz, an…
As ruling party fans spew online abuse, Pakistan’s female journalists call for government action
On August 16, Ramsha Jahangir should have been celebrating a journalistic triumph, the release of a long, deeply reported cover story for the weekend magazine of Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper on the government’s social media strategy and image-building. Instead, she spent the day watching in horror as a torrent of abuse filled her social media feeds. Eventually, she went offline. …