Journalists Maria Ressa, Dmitry Muratov awarded Nobel Peace Prize
On October 8, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, in recognition of their work fighting for freedom of expression. Their awards come at a time of unprecedented crackdowns on members of the press, digital surveillance, and an erosion of public trust in journalism. “This Nobel Peace…
CPJ Insider: The crisis in Afghanistan continues
Nearly two months after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the human rights crisis continues to worsen. Afghan media and their families have become targets as the Taliban has detained some journalists, arrested and shot others, and forced female reporters off the air. CPJ continues to support Afghan journalists. To date, we have helped 46…
‘A lot of uncertainty and a lot of fear’: CPJ’s María Salazar Ferro on evacuating Afghan journalists
In Afghanistan, the situation is worsening for local journalists as Taliban fighters attack and detain journalists in the field and news outlets are shuttering amid restrictions and economic woes, according to local TV station TOLO News. As The New York Times has reported new details about the Biden administration’s mixed record on evacuating journalists, CPJ…
Afghanistan
How the Taliban takeover is affecting Afghan media As the Taliban consolidated power in Afghanistan following its takeover in August 2021, journalists faced growing obstacles in doing their work and a bleak prognosis for the future of the vibrant media landscape that developed in the country over 20 years. The initial months of Taliban control…
Apple Daily parent company shuts down in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong media company Next Digital, which owned the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper before it shut down in June, announced this week that it will also cease operations. Under Hong Kong’s national security law, authorities have escalated attacks on independent media outlets, including Next Digital and its executives. The company’s founder, Jimmy Lai, is…
Taliban fighters detain, flog, and beat journalists covering protests in Afghanistan
Washington, D.C., September 8, 2021–The Taliban must immediately cease detaining journalists in Afghanistan, end the use of violence against them, and allow the media to operate freely and without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Over the last two days, the Taliban detained and later released at least 14 journalists covering…
CPJ Insider: Crisis in Afghanistan
Since Afghanistan fell under the control of the Taliban, CPJ has been deeply concerned for the safety of hundreds of local journalists and media workers. We have devoted our resources to helping and supporting them, even as some are already being targeted by the Taliban. We continue to urge the United States to ensure the…
CPJ welcomes Arlene Getz as editorial director
New York, August 24, 2021–The Committee to Protect Journalists is pleased to announce that Arlene Getz will be CPJ’s new editorial director, where she will lead the organization’s editorial team and oversee news, data, and multimedia production. “Arlene’s extensive experience in reporting and editing international news will help CPJ meet the unprecedented and growing challenges…
As US pulls out of Afghanistan, journalists fear for their lives
In Afghanistan, as violence escalates against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S. military withdrawal, suspected Taliban militants killed an Afghan journalist and kidnapped another, and Taliban fighters shot at a car carrying two Afghan journalists. CPJ continues to call on the U.S. to act to save Afghan journalists’ lives. “Over the past 20 years, independent…
Taliban fighters shoot at car carrying Afghan journalists, briefly abduct them
On August 1, 2021, Taliban fighters in the outskirts of Herat city, in western Afghanistan, fired shots at a car carrying Shakib Shams, a correspondent with the national radio service Salam Wantadar, and Storai Karimi, a reporter for the independent news agency Pajhwok Afghan News, and abducted them for approximately 25 minutes, according to Shams,…