abducted

The arrest and detention of Segun Olatunji, the then-editor of the privately owned First News site, by Nigeria’s military in March triggered an outcry from local and international civil society, highlighting an uptick in the unlawful detention of journalists in the West African nation.  Olatunji was taken from his Alagbado home in southwestern Lagos state by more than a dozen armed men who…

When Belete Kassa’s friend and news show co-host Belaye Manaye was arrested in November 2023 and taken to the remote Awash Arba military camp known as the “Guantanamo of the desert,” Belete feared that he might be next. The two men co-founded the YouTube-based channel Ethio News in 2020, which had reported extensively on a conflict that…

New York, May 23, 2024 — Pakistan authorities must immediately reveal the whereabouts of freelance Kashmiri journalist Syed Farhad Ali Shah, who was taken from his home at night by unidentified men over a week ago, and stop intimidating the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. At about 1 a.m. on May 15,…

As the Israel-Gaza war enters its eighth month, CPJ’s ability to verify attacks on the press has slowed to a crawl. A feature published this week explains why the Israel-Gaza war has become more difficult to document. An unprecedented number of deaths, with more than 90 Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli forces since the start…

On Monday night, Al-Jazeera reporter Ismail Al-Ghoul was released by Israeli forces after being held for nearly 12 hours. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Al-Ghoul recounted how he and several other journalists were assaulted by IDF soldiers, whom he said destroyed the journalists’ tent and damaged their equipment and press vehicles. Al-Ghoul said the journalists…

Abuja, March 21, 2024—The Nigerian military should swiftly and publicly account for the whereabouts of First News editor Segun Olatunji, who was taken by armed men identifying themselves as officers with the army, disclose any charges against him, and ensure his safety, said the Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday. On March 15, around 15…

Editor’s note: Since the publication of this report, Lucien Jura was released by kidnappers, his brother Erick Jura told CPJ on Thursday. Miami, March 20, 2024—The kidnappers of journalist Lucien Jura should release him immediately and not hold journalists as pawns, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Jura was abducted from his home in…

Three police officers arrested Kurdish journalist Omed Baroshky from his home in the northwestern city of Duhok at around midday on February 22, 2024, on charges of defamation, the journalist and his lawyer Revving Hruri told CPJ. Baroshky was released from the city’s Zirka prison at around 10 p.m. on bail of 3 million dinars…

New York, February 16, 2024—Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló must withdraw his recent statements denigrating and threatening the media and ensure a credible investigation into two armed raids on public broadcasters and other recent attacks on the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.  CPJ also calls on Embaló to guarantee that journalists will…

In a new report published today, CPJ documented 99 journalists and media workers killed worldwide in 2023. This 2023 global total is the highest since 2015 and an almost 44% increase from 2022. Documenting 2023 deaths was especially challenging due to lack of official information and the high number of killings in such a short…