‘Ongoing brutality’: Lourdes Maldonado third journalist killed in Mexico in less than a month
Mexico City, January 25, 2022 – Mexican authorities must immediately and thoroughly investigate the killing of reporter Lourdes Maldonado López, determine whether she was attacked in direct relation to her work and bring her attackers to justice. Maldonado, a veteran broadcast journalist, was shot dead in Tijuana, a city bordering the United States in the…
Attacks on the press: The deadliest countries in 2021
By Jennifer Dunham/CPJ Deputy Editorial Director Published January 19, 2022 At least 28 journalists were killed due to their work in 2021, with India and Mexico topping the list of countries with the most media worker deaths, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ final data for the year. Of the total – which has…
U.S. press freedom under President Biden
Since his inauguration, U.S. President Joe Biden has underscored the importance of protecting press freedom. In a new report by CPJ, Leonard Downie Jr. finds an almost complete reversal from the Trump administration’s hostile anti-media rhetoric and a return to a more traditional relationship between the press and the White House. However, journalists and advocates…
‘The infections were constant:’ Julia Gavarrete among dozens of Salvadoran journalists targeted with Pegasus spyware
The day El Faro reporter Julia Gavarrete’s father passed away, her phone was infected with Pegasus spyware that could activate the microphone and camera, and read all her messages – one of multiple occasions her privacy was invaded with the tool over the course of several months. Gavarrete made this disturbing discovery while cooperating with…
‘All-out assault’ on Hong Kong’s press continues ahead of Beijing Olympics
As China prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Chinese authorities continue to imprison journalists without consequence and crack down on the independent press in Hong Kong. Last month, Hong Kong authorities filed new charges against media entrepreneur and CPJ 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Awardee Jimmy Lai, along with six former staff…
Marcela Turati on the chilling implications of Mexico’s probe into her reporting
For more than a decade, Marcela Turati has painstakingly documented disappearances and mass graves in Mexico, cementing her reputation as one of the country’s foremost investigative reporters. But even with her knowledge of human rights abuses and corruption, she was shocked to learn that she has been under investigation by Mexican federal authorities for years….
CPJ Insider: Year-End Edition
Thank you for all of your support this year, as CPJ confronted grave dangers to journalists and press freedom around the world. With you standing with us, we can continue to defend freedom of expression and your right to know the truth. Here are some highlights of 2021, which were made possible thanks to your…
First Myanmar journalist to die in custody since February coup
On December 10, soldiers in Myanmar arrested photographer Soe Naing after he photographed a “silent strike” protest in Yangon against the country’s military junta government. Citing anonymous friends, colleagues, and family members of the photographer, media reports stated on Tuesday that Soe Naing had died in custody. Those reports did not state any suspected cause of…
A press freedom crisis unfolds in Latin America
As the number of journalists imprisoned globally for their work climbs to record highs, cases of those behind bars in Latin America remained relatively low. A total of six – three in Cuba, two in Nicaragua and one in Brazil – were in custody for their work as of December 1, according to the Committee…
Streaming today: The 31st annual International Press Freedom Awards #IPFA
In a small town in central Guatemala, authorities have repeatedly harassed radio journalist Anastasia Mejía in connection to her protest coverage. Mejía’s outlet Xolabaj Radio, which she co-founded, provides a platform for Indigenous women. In Mozambique, Matías Guente and his newspaper, Canal de Moçambique, have faced official harassment and intimidation in recent years, including a…