Chinese journalist held for reporting on Wuhan COVID outbreak wishes he’d done more
Chinese journalist Li Zehua, who formerly worked for state broadcaster CCTV and goes by the name Kcriss Li, was held by authorities for reporting on the COVID-19 outbreak from Wuhan in early 2020. In a new interview with CPJ’s China correspondent Iris Hsu and Director of Special Projects Robert Mahoney, Li said that he wishes…
Nicaragua releases, sends hundreds of political prisoners, 2 journalists to US
Nicaraguan authorities freed and deported 222 political prisoners to the United States on Thursday, including at least two journalists: Juan Lorenzo Holmann Chamorro, publisher of La Prensa, and Miguel Mendoza Urbina, a sports and political commentator. Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJ’s program director, said the deportation “brings a sense of relief that they will…
Dozens of journalists harassed, injured amid Peru protests
In Peru, more than 70 journalists have been harassed and attacked since anti-government protests broke out in December, following the impeachment and arrest of former President Pedro Castillo. In one incident on January 7, police officers threatened to kill Aldair Mejía, a photographer for the Spanish news agency EFE who was covering anti-government demonstrations in…
CPJ Insider: Year-end 2022 edition
Your support this year helped sustain CPJ’s work and mission at a time when journalists across the globe face threats while doing their jobs. Thank you for being a friend and partner throughout 2022 in defending our right to be informed. For this edition of Insider, we’re including just a few of the highlights from…
Forensic tools open new front for using phone data to prosecute journalists
In a new feature published this week, CPJ’s Consultant Technology Editor Madeline Earp explains how forensic tools open a new front for using phone data to prosecute journalists. A law enforcement agent scrolling through a journalist’s unlocked phone is already a problematic scenario for press freedom. This risk is supercharged by technology that can copy…
News anchor Ciro Gómez Leyva survives shooting attempt in Mexico City
Mexico City, December 16, 2022 – Mexican authorities should immediately investigate the shooting attack on journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva and guarantee his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Late Thursday evening, two unidentified attackers on a motorcycle shot at Gómez Leyva while he was driving near his Mexico City home and then fled…
CPJ Insider: November 2022 edition
Zero-click spyware poses existential crisis for journalism: A Q&A with CPJ Technology Editor Madeline Earp CPJ recently released its special report, “How zero-click surveillance threatens reporters, sources, and global press freedom.” For this month’s Insider, we spoke to Madeline Earp, CPJ’s technology editor, about how governments use spyware against journalists–and what CPJ is doing to…
Killing with impunity: Vast majority of journalists’ murderers go free
By Jennifer Dunham/CPJ Deputy Editorial Director No one has been held to account in nearly 80% of journalist murders during the last 10 years, CPJ’s 2022 Global Impunity Index found, and governments show little interest in tackling the issue. Published November 1, 2022 Statistical table | Methodology | Database: All journalists murdered for their work…
New US Justice Department guidelines on source protection ‘an important step to protect press freedom’
On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the revision of the Justice Department’s regulations to restrict federal prosecutors’ ability to obtain journalists’ phone and email records in government leak investigations with narrow exceptions. The Department of Justice said this decision codifies Garland’s July 2021 policy change to extend the protections. “This is an important…
Zero-click surveillance and press freedom: When spyware turns phones into weapons
It’s The Torch’s fourth anniversary! Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox. CPJ released a new report Thursday, “Zero-click Spyware: Enemy of the press,” about how zero-click surveillance threatens reporters, sources, and global press freedom. The report explains the insidious nature of spyware, its existential threat to journalists, and how it has…