Journalists detained in Libya, Syria, Yemen; 1 dead in Iraq
New York, April 1, 2011–Al-Jazeera said today that Libyan authorities re-arrested four of its journalists just hours after they had been released. A Syrian journalist who spoke critically of Libyan government policies was also reported in state custody. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the ongoing attacks on the press in Libya, and calls on…
Diplomatic corps must act to free ailing Sri Lankan journalist
New York, March 31, 2001–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the international diplomatic community in Colombo to help secure the release of Lanka eNews website News Editor Bennet Rupasinghe. According to colleagues in Colombo and international news reports, Rupasinghe was arrested by police after responding to a summons. He was called to give a…
CPJ concerned by irregularities in Ukraine’s Gongadze case
Dear President Yanukovych: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by reports of irregularities in the decade-long investigation into the 2000 kidnapping and murder of Internet journalist Georgy Gongadze. Particularly, CPJ is disturbed by efforts to derail progress in the investigation and peg the ultimate responsibility for the murder on a dead suspect, while other leads in the case languish. Since assuming office in March, you have publicly stated your commitment to press freedom in Ukraine. The case of Georgy Gongadze is a litmus test for you and your administration, and we urge you to ensure that none of the perpetrators of his kidnapping and killing are allowed to walk free.
Attacks on the Press 2010: Afghanistan
Top Developments • Two killed, but press fatalities don’t rise in proportion to overall dangers. • Kidnappings an ongoing hazard; two French journalists held captive. Key Statistic 13: Foreign journalists killed in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S. invasion. Journalists faced numerous challenges from a multifaceted war, instances of government censorship, a culture of official corruption,…
Attacks on the Press 2010: Brazil
Top Developments • Judicial censorship rampant; order bars paper from covering corruption allegations. • Convictions won in journalist’s murder as Brazil makes strides against impunity. Key Statistic 398: Demands to remove online content made by Brazilian authorities to Google in the first six months of 2010. Continuing a pattern of extensive censorship imposed from the…
Attacks on the Press 2010: Honduras
Top Developments • Rash of journalist murders occurs in lawless, politically charged climate. • In murder investigations, authorities inattentive and dismissive. Key Statistic 3: Months between Nahúm Palacios Arteaga’s murder and the time authorities conducted an autopsy. Six journalists were murdered in a seven-week span, with three more slain by year’s end, a rash of…
Attacks on the Press 2010: Mexico
Top Developments • Amid rampant violence, Calderón backs federalization of anti-press crimes. • More than 30 journalists killed or disappeared since Calderón’s term began. Key Statistic 4: Journalists abducted in Durango by gangsters who demand that TV stations air their propaganda. Organized crime groups exerted fierce pressure on the Mexican press as their control spread…
Attacks on the Press 2010: Nepal
Top Developments • Three media owners slain. Kantipur group faces threats, obstruction. • Maoist cadres burn copies of two Kathmandu newspapers. Key Statistic 7th: Ranking on CPJ’s Impunity Index, reflecting one of the world’s worst records in solving press murders. The repeated failure to elect a leader cast doubt on the success of Nepal’s transition…
Attacks on the Press 2010: Pakistan
Top Developments • Suicide bombings take devastating toll on media, killing, injuring dozens. • Journalists face threats from all sides, notably Taliban and the ISI. Key Statistic 8: Journalists killed in relation to their work in 2010, the highest figure in the world. Pakistan was the deadliest nation for the press in 2010 as violence…