Arrests, bans, shutdowns: No end in sight to Taliban media crackdown 3 years on
New York, August 14, 2024—As the Taliban mark the third anniversary of their return to power, the Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the group to halt their unprecedented destruction of Afghanistan’s media and brutal repression of journalists. “Grave injustices are the hallmark of the Taliban’s rule,” CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi said…
How Russia silences critical coverage of its war in Ukraine
Russia’s months-long jailing of journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva — released on August 1 as part of a prisoner exchange — was one of the most blatant illustrations of Russia’s muzzling of the press in the wake of its February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While practicing journalism in Russia has long been difficult,…
Media organizations urge Israel to open press access to Gaza
More than 60 media and civil society organizations have signed an open letter urging Israel to give journalists independent access to Gaza. The organizations—which include the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Washington Post—highlight that no independent media access to Gaza has been permitted since the start…
Media organizations urge Israel to open access to Gaza
New York, July 11, 2024—More than 70 media and civil society organizations have signed an open letter urging Israel to give journalists independent access to Gaza. The organizations—which include the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Washington Post—point out that no independent media access to Gaza has…
CPJ welcomes Assange’s release following plea deal
The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s release following a plea deal with the United States Justice Department. Assange pleaded guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defense information in a plea deal finalized in federal court in the Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth…
CPJ Insider: Summer 2024 edition
World Refugee Day: CPJ’s Lucy Westcott on journalists in exile For World Refugee Day on Thursday, June 20, CPJ highlighted the plight of journalists forced to flee their home countries due to threats, violence, and repression. As a growing number of journalists are being exiled, many face ongoing dangers even after they have reached safety….
Forced to flee: Exiled journalists face unsafe passage and transnational repression
By Lucy Westcott/CPJ Emergencies Director Threats, repression, conflict, and unrest: across the world, these and other factors are pushing journalists into exile in record numbers. In a striking development, exiled or soon-to-be exiled journalists now make up more than half of the people CPJ assists. Between January and June 2024, CPJ provided financial support to…
“State of Silence” premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival: Documentary traces attacks on the press in Mexico
On Monday at the Tribeca Film Festival, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) Mexico Representative Jan-Albert Hootsen joined a panel discussion following the global premiere of “State of Silence,” a documentary tracing attacks on journalists in Mexico, and the urgent need to strengthen the country’s federal protection mechanism for the press. The film, which charts…
CPJ hailed as a ‘Red Cross for journalism’
On Saturday, CPJ was awarded the Canadian Association of Journalists’ (CAJ) 2024 Charles Bury Award for commitment to protecting the safety and security of journalists at risk worldwide. “For decades, the CPJ has saved countless lives of journalists while simultaneously shining a bright light on the many draconian abuses to press freedom around the world,”…
CPJ, partners urge U.S. Senate to advance the PRESS Act
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) joined more than 85 journalism and civil society organizations and 35 attorneys and law professors in urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to schedule a markup of the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act (PRESS Act) as soon as possible so that it can be considered by the full…