Inside an Afghan news network’s struggle to survive
Threats, insults, beatings, and censorship: Former Ariana News staffers detail dire challenges during a year under Taliban control For veteran journalist Sharif Hassanyar, the final breaking point came in September last year. The Taliban had ousted the elected government of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani almost a month earlier, and the last American soldiers had since…
Afghanistan’s media faces crisis—and opportunity
Twelve months after the Taliban takeover, many Afghan journalists are out of work or on the run. Others try, very carefully, to challenge the powerful. The extreme distress that has gripped Afghanistan’s independent media since the Taliban seized power in Kabul on August 15 last year lands in my inbox—and the inboxes of many of…
Crew with Indian broadcaster WION News beaten, detained by Taliban in Kabul
New York, August 9, 2022 – Taliban authorities should cease their attacks on the press and ensure that those who harass and assault journalists are held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On August 4, armed Taliban members attacked and detained a team with the independent Indian broadcaster WION News, including reporter…
Taliban intelligence officers force Foreign Policy columnist Lynne O’Donnell to tweet apologies for her reporting
Washington, D.C., July 21, 2022 – Taliban authorities must stop harassing members of the press, and the intelligence officers who recently intimidated and threatened Australian journalist Lynne O’Donnell should be held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. O’Donnell, a columnist with the U.S. magazine Foreign Policy, arrived in Kabul on July 16,…
CPJ announces 2022 International Press Freedom Awards
In recognition of their commitment to independent reporting in the face of immense challenges, including government crackdowns, aggression, and imprisonment, Niyaz Abdullah (Iraqi Kurdistan), Abraham Jiménez Enoa (Cuba), Sevgil Musaieva (Ukraine), and Pham Doan Trang (Vietnam) have been named the recipients of CPJ’s 2022 International Press Freedom Awards. “Our award winners exemplify the best of…
Ethiopia cracks down on journalists and media workers
On May 20, Indian journalist Subhash Kumar Mahto was shot dead in Bihar state. Mahto was a reporter with a local cable station City News, and frequently used Public App, a hyperlocal smartphone-based video application, to post his reports. Saurabh Kumar, general secretary of Begusarai District Journalists Association, told CPJ that the attack could be…
Shireen Abu Akleh killing: CPJ calls for international probe
Israeli and Palestinian authorities should ensure that the investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is swift and transparent, that all evidence is shared with international investigators, and that those responsible are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. Abu Akleh, a reporter for the Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera, was…
Russia-Ukraine war: At least 7 journalists killed covering the conflict
At least seven journalists have been killed covering the war in Ukraine, and CPJ is investigating five other journalist deaths to determine if they were work-related. Watch this moving tribute that chronicles the stories of the journalists killed and includes testimonies from their friends, colleagues, and family. CPJ observed World Press Freedom Day this week…
CPJ Insider: May 2022 edition
Today is World Press Freedom Day! For over two months now, the invasion of Ukraine has dominated the news, and much of CPJ’s work has been dedicated to supporting journalists covering the war. From disbursing safety information in Ukrainian, Russian, and English, working to coordinate the distribution of personal protective gear, or providing first aid…
UK court brings Julian Assange one step closer to extradition; CPJ calls on US Justice Department to drop charges
A London court on Wednesday ordered the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States. The decision brings Assange one step closer to facing espionage and hacking charges in the U.S., but the extradition still needs to be approved by a British cabinet minister, and Assange’s defense can appeal to her directly. CPJ…