In sanction talks, EU must consider Uzbek press record
Dear Minister Steinmeier, The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the European Union, to consider the Uzbek government’s appalling press freedom record during your May 14 discussions on the possible lifting of targeted EU sanctions imposed against Uzbekistan in the aftermath of the 2005 Andijan crisis. As Germany holds the EU presidency, we ask you to take a leadership role in bringing this issue to the forefront.
L.A. police attack journalists covering immigration rights rally
MAY 1, 2007 Patricia Nazario, KPCC Carlos Botifoll, Telemundo Christina Gonzalez, KTTV Patti Ballaz, KTTV Carl Stein, KCAL HARASSED, ATTACKED During a rally for immigrant rights, Los Angeles police attacked journalists with batons, according to news reports. Police Chief William J. Bratton said he would investigate the conduct of police, who were captured on news…
Reporter detained while covering protest
APRIL 24, 2007 Posted April 30, 2007 Gina Reyes Demeis, El Carabobeño HARASSED Reyes, Aragua correspondent for the Valencia-based daily El Carabobeño, was detained by members the Venezuelan National Guard while she was covering a protest in the central Aragua province, according to Venezuelan press reports.
Supreme Court convicts journalist in criminal defamation case
APRIL 18, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Gustavo Escanlar Patrone, Canal 10 LEGAL ACTION The Uruguayan Supreme Court of Justice ratified a three-month suspended prison sentence against Escanlar, host of the television program “Bendita TV,” in a criminal defamation suit.
Egyptian blogger ordered detained for 15 days
New York, April 18, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest in Cairo of a blogger who has exposed torture in Egyptian police stations and prisons. Authorities detained Abdel Moneim Mahmoud on Sunday on charges that he belongs to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and that he defamed the government with his reporting.
TV talk show hosts get two-year jail sentences for defamation
New York, April 13, 2007—The prison terms handed down to two Bangkok talk show hosts emphasizes the need to decriminalize defamation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Bangkok’s Southern Criminal Court made the ruling on Thursday in relation to allegations television political commentators Samak Sundaravej and Dusit Siriwan made during their talk shows on…
In Mexico, two men arrested in connection with journalist’s murder
New York, April 11, 2007—Mexican authorities detained two men in connection with last week’s murder of veteran broadcast journalist Amado Ramírez Dillanes in Acapulco. Leonel Bustos Muñoz and Genaro Vásquez Durán were arrested Tuesday in Acapulco, 198 miles (320 kilometers) from Mexico City. According to an official statement, when federal police stopped Bustos and Vásquez…
Neo-Nazis threaten to kill independent journalist
New York, April 3, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by death threats made against Dinko Gruhonjic, head of the Vojvodina branch of the independent news agency BETA and chairman of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina, by a local neo-Nazi group. The threats, which were posted on a neo-Nazi Web site this week,…
Nearly 300 journalists urge release of abducted Afghan colleague
New York, April 5, 2007—Nearly 300 journalists have signed an open letter urging the release of abducted Afghan journalist Ajmal Nakshbandi, who has been held captive by the Taliban since March 4. Those signing the letter represent an array of local and international news organizations, including CNN, The Associated Press, Reuters, Time, The New York…