China’s Olympic press freedom pledges: Worthless in 2008, absent in 2022
Prospects for free-wheeling media coverage of the February Beijing Winter Olympics seem increasingly dim, not least because of the attitude of the International Olympic Committee. On October 13, John Coates, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, dismissed out of hand calls from CPJ, human rights groups, and US lawmakers to pressure Beijing over its…
Egyptian journalist faces trial over a tweet
CPJ joined 18 other civil society groups this week in condemning the decision by U.S. President Joseph Biden’s administration to send $170 million in military aid to Egypt and bypass human rights conditions set by Congress. The joint statement notes that the move “sidesteps the intent of Congress,” which had passed legislation to withhold such…
The high cost paid by journalists in exile
Journalists forced to flee their countries face many challenges, including physical attacks and threats to family members they left behind. In some cases, they are pushed out of their professions completely. In a new feature released ahead of World Refugee Day, CPJ examines the risks facing journalists in exile, with recommendations on how nations, the…
Matías Guente, Mozambique
CPJ presented its 2021 International Press Freedom Award to Mozambican journalist Matías Guente. Guente is the executive editor of Canal de Moçambique, an independent weekly investigative newspaper, and its daily digital publication CanalMoz. In August 2020, unidentified individuals broke into the newspaper’s office, poured gasoline on the furniture and equipment, and set it ablaze. The fire destroyed…
Jimmy Lai
CPJ presented its 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award, for extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom, to Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai. Lai has become a powerful symbol of the struggle to maintain press freedom in Hong Kong as China’s Communist Party exerts ever greater control over the territory. In…
Chinese journalist Lü Gengsong’s health deteriorating in prison
Taipei, June 8, 2021 – Chinese authorities must release imprisoned journalist Lü Gengsong immediately, and ensure that he receives necessary medical care, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Lü’s health has deteriorated while in prison, according to a report by the Chinese human rights news website Minsheng Guancha (Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch) and…
Two Spanish journalists killed in Burkina Faso while covering poaching
Burkina Faso was the site of tragedy this week as Spanish journalists David Beriain and Roberto Fraile were killed after being abducted Monday from a wildlife reserve. The pair were working on a documentary about poaching when unidentified gunmen ambushed the group they were traveling with. CPJ called on authorities to thoroughly investigate the killings…
Foreign correspondents in China face COVID-19 restrictions and expulsions, FCCC finds
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China found that “media freedoms deteriorated significantly in 2020” in its annual report, released Monday. The report, titled “Track, Trace, Expel: Reporting on China Amid a Pandemic,” surveyed 150 club members representing news organizations from 30 countries and regions. In 2020, China used the COVID-19 pandemic to impose restrictions on…
Attacks on the Press in 2020
Attacks on the Press in 2020 Introduction Imprisonments Killings Explore 2020 Attacks on the Press Introduction Imprisonments Killings Explore Twitter Facebook Slider Amid a global pandemic and widespread political upheaval, a record number of journalists were imprisoned worldwide in 2020, and the number singled out for murder in reprisal for their work more than doubled…
Ahead of US presidential inauguration, CPJ publishes safety advisory
CPJ issued an extensive safety advisory for covering the U.S. presidential inauguration and its lead-up, following the violent takeover of the U.S. Capitol last week. CPJ recommends that journalists be prepared for potential hostility and violence from militia groups, protesters, and the police. CPJ called for accountability for attacks on the media during the Capitol…