Iranian authorities arrest Kurdish journalist Siamand Mohtadi
Washington, D.C., February 13, 2023 – Iranian authorities must drop any charges against freelance Kurdish journalist Siamand Mohtadi and release him immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On Saturday, February 11, authorities arrested Mohtadi after raiding his home in the Kurdish city of Bukan, in West Azerbaijan province, and took him to an…
‘Don’t give up’: After fleeing overseas, Hong Kong journalists fight on
When Hong Kong journalist Matthew Leung covered a small protest in the northern English city of Manchester last October, little did he know it would become one of the biggest stories in his career—and unleash a diplomatic storm between China and Britain. His photographs, showing a group of men beating a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester…
Journalist Evan Lambert arrested, charged while covering Ohio train derailment
New York, February 9, 2023 — Law enforcement in East Palestine, Ohio, should immediately drop all charges against NewsNation correspondent Evan Lambert and thoroughly investigate why he was arrested, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. Around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, Lambert was giving a live report for cable network NewsNation about a…
Belarusian authorities sentence journalist Andrzej Poczobut to 8 years in prison, detain journalist Anastasia Sharkevich
Paris, February 8, 2023 – Belarusian authorities must immediately release journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Anastasia Sharkevich, and stop retaliating against journalists for their reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Monday, February 6, Sharkevich, who manages the Telegram channel of the independent newspaper Narodnaya Volya, appeared in a video published by a pro-government…
Russian authorities seek 9-year prison term for journalist Maria Ponomarenko, detain RFE/RL columnist Iskander Yasaveyev
Paris, February 7, 2023 – Russian authorities should immediately release journalist Maria Ponomarenko and columnist Iskander Yasaveyev and stop prosecuting members of the press over their reporting and commentary on the war in Ukraine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Monday, February 6, authorities in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan Republic, arrested…
Belarusian journalists Dzmitry Harbunou and Pavel Padabed detained on undisclosed charges
Paris, January 26, 2023 — Belarusian authorities should publicly disclose the reason for the arrests of journalists Dzmitry Harbunou and Pavel Padabed and ensure that no journalists are jailed for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On January 18, Harbunou, a blogger based in the western city of Brest, appeared in a video…
Bangladeshi journalist Raghunath Kha arrested, allegedly electrocuted in custody
New York, January 25, 2023 – Bangladesh authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Raghunath Kha and investigate allegations that he was electrocuted and beaten in police custody, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. At around 11 a.m. on Monday, January 23, plainclothes police officers detained Kha, a correspondent for the privately owned broadcaster…
More than a dozen journalists harassed, attacked during week of anti-government protests in Peru
Bogotá, January 24, 2023 – More than a dozen journalists have been harassed, attacked, or injured amid protests in the Peruvian capital of Lima since January 19, according to media reports, journalists who spoke with CPJ, and Adriana León, spokesperson for the Lima-based Institute for Press and Society (IPYS), who communicated with CPJ via messaging…
Deadly year for journalists as killings rose sharply in 2022
By Jennifer Dunham/CPJ Deputy Editorial Director Published January 24, 2023 Key Takeaways | Methodology | 2022 Killed Data | Interactive Map | Video The year 2022 was deadly for members of the press. At least 67 journalists and media workers were killed during the year–the highest number since 2018 and an almost 50% increase from…
Armenian draft legislation would give government sweeping wartime censorship powers
Stockholm, January 19, 2023 – Armenian authorities should not use military conflicts as an excuse to curtail press freedom and should rework clauses in a draft bill that would threaten press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On January 6, the public comment period closed for a bill drafted by the Ministry of…