Philippine court bids to gag massacre trial scrutiny
Bangkok, May 12, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned by an appeals court resolution in the Philippines that threatens to curb outside scrutiny of legal proceedings against suspects in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, in which 32 journalists and media practitioners were systematically shot and murdered.
Online commentator receives harsh sentence in Vietnam
Bangkok, April 29, 2011–Vietnamese authorities should release democracy activist and online commentator Vi Duc Hoi, who was given a five-year prison term Tuesday for critical essays posted on the Internet, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Thai officials close 13 radio stations, detain staff
Bangkok, April 27, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the closure by government authorities of at least 13 community radio stations in Thailand and calls on the government to cease its campaign of harassment against opposition-aligned media immediately.
Ahead of election, cyber-attacks cripple online media
Bangkok, April 19, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by cyber-attacks against three news and commentary sites that preceded Saturday’s important election in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, on the island of Borneo. The country’s main news portal Malaysiakini, Sarawak Report, and the Malay and English versions of the opposition Harakahdaily website all reported similar attacks.…
Malaysia court gets joke, drops case against blogger
In September 2010 we posted an alert about criminal charges being brought against Malaysian blogger Irwan Abdul Rahman. He was accused of “intent to hurt” because of a March 2010 satirical entry on his blog, nose4news, that made fun of Malaysia’s state-run power company Tenaga (TNB). The charges were brought by the Malaysian Communications and…
Journalist stabbed, hospitalized in Indonesia
Bangkok, March 3, 2011–The stabbing of Banjir Ambarita, a freelance reporter who frequently contributes to Indonesia’s English-language daily the Jakarta Globe, appears to be related to his reporting linking police to a prisoner sex abuse scandal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Concerns of Thai whitewash in killing of Reuters’ Muramoto
Bangkok, February 28, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by inconsistencies in Thailand’s official investigation into the killing of Reuters cameraman Hiro Muramoto, who was killed by gunfire while covering clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces last April 10 in Bangkok.Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation told reporters today that its investigations showed that Muramoto was apparently…
Cambodia orders popular blog blocked
Bangkok, February 23, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by reports that Cambodian authorities have ordered local Internet service providers to block a number of websites, including the popular KI Media news aggregator and commentary blog, considered critical of the government.