Two journalists shot dead in the Philippines
Bangkok, July 31, 2013–Authorities in the Philippines must identify the motive behind the murders of two journalists on Tuesday and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Both reporters were columnists for the Aksyon Ngayon weekly tabloid newspaper.
Decree targets online freedoms in Vietnam
Bangkok, July 22, 2013–A new decree aimed at regulating Internet-related information and services in Vietnam represents a significant new danger to online journalists and bloggers, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The decree was signed into law on July 15 and will be implemented on September 1, according to news reports.
Burma falters, backtracks on press freedom
The media landscape in Burma is more open than ever, as President Thein Sein releases imprisoned journalists and abolishes the former censorship regime. But many threats and obstacles to truly unfettered reporting remain, including restrictive laws held over from the previous military regime. The wider government’s commitment to a more open reporting environment is in…
Online and in danger in Burma
Early moves by Thein Sein to ease Internet censorship are viewed as a limited concession to press freedom, since Burma has one of the lowest Internet penetration rates in the world. Now, planned foreign investments in mobile infrastructure promise to expand access, but a draft telecommunications law would leave intact many of the vague legal…
An uneasy homecoming for Burma’s exile media
The return of exiled Burmese media groups is one of the clearest signs of the country’s improved reporting environment, but the outlets may struggle to compete as Western donors reduce funding. Furthermore, journalists are worried about losing the editorial independence they enjoyed in exile. By Shawn W. Crispin
Burma Falters, Backtracks on Press Freedoms
New York, June 13, 2013–Burma’s media continue to face threats and obstacles to free reporting despite recent reforms, according to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released today. A new draft publishing bill and the failure to reform existing restrictive laws jeopardize still limited freedoms of expression and the press. “The changes…
First step to justice in Fabio Polenghi’s killing
EDITOR’S NOTE: A court in Thailand ruled today that Italian photojournalist Fabio Polenghi was shot and killed by a bullet fired by a soldier during a government crackdown on street protesters on May 19, 2010. The inquest ruling established the circumstances surrounding his death but failed to apportion blame to any individual military commanders or…
CPJ welcomes reversal of Thai documentary ban
Bangkok, April 26, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the decision by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture to reverse its earlier imposed ban on the locally produced documentary Fah Tam Pan Din Soon (Boundary). “The ministry’s reversal of its censorship order against director Nontawat Numbchapol’s documentary is a step in the right direction,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior…