Syrian journalists fear for their lives despite the end of the siege of Daraa al-Balad
On September 9, the Syrian Army and its allies lifted their two-and-a half-month siege of the district of Daraa al-Balad in southern Syria under a Russian-brokered ceasefire with local rebels. The deal is the latest chapter in the long saga of the district, a cradle of the 2011 revolution that was recaptured by Syrian Army…
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…
Afghan photographer Morteza Samadi detained by Taliban since September 7
Washington, D.C., September 13, 2021 — The Taliban must immediately and unconditionally release freelance photographer Morteza Samadi and commit to allowing the media to operate freely and independently, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 7, Taliban fighters detained Samadi after he covered a protest in the western city of Herat, according to…
The US is failing Afghan journalists
Many journalists have fled Afghanistan since the Taliban took power, but many more—including ones who worked for U.S.-funded outlets—are still struggling to get out, with little help from the Biden administration to help them reach safety. “The president and his team promised to support press freedom and the rights of journalists around the world. In…
Afghanistan’s free press disappearing
In recent weeks in Afghanistan, the Taliban has physically attacked journalists, raided homes, and forced female state TV anchors off the air. As they seek safety, Afghan journalists fear for their lives, going into hiding and deleting their social media presences to avoid being targeted. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan this month, CPJ…
At risk: An entire generation of Afghan reporters
With the Taliban in power, the situation for journalists in Afghanistan has become even more dire. Militants searched the homes of at least four journalists and news agency employees, and a journalist seeking safety told CPJ she worries she may not be alive by the time help comes. PBS NewsHour correspondent Jane Ferguson described the…
US must expedite visas for Afghan journalists
As journalists, media workers, and their families face increased risk in Afghanistan following the U.S. pullout, CPJ welcomes the priority inclusion of Afghans who are or were employed in Afghanistan with U.S.-based media outlets in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and calls on the Biden administration to ensure the program is inclusive and accelerated. “Given…
Turkish TV news crew attacked, beaten by lifeguards at Istanbul beach
On July 23, 2021, lifeguards at a beach in Istanbul beat reporter Çağdaş Evren Şenlik and cameraman Ayhan Arıtürk from the pro-government A Haber news television and damaged their equipment, according to reports and videos from their employer and other pro-government outlets. Şenlik and Artürk were there to report on drownings at beaches in Şile…
Assailant of Turkish journalist Can Dündar convicted over 2016 attack, but sentence delayed
On July 8, 2021, a Turkish court sentenced Murat Şahin, who attempted to shoot journalist Can Dündar in a 2016 incident in Istanbul that left journalist Yağız Şenkal injured, to a delayed prison term and monetary fine, according to news reports. The 28th Istanbul Court of First Instance found Şahin guilty of several charges, including…
Police detain camera operator Nazım Fayık while covering protest in Ankara, Turkey
On July 5, 2021, police disrupted a protest near a prison in Ankara, Turkey, and detained at least one journalist, according to news reports and video of the detention shared on social media. Police detained Nazım Fayık, a camera operator with the leftist pro-Kurdish website and TV broadcaster Artı Gerçek, along with five demonstrators at…