CPJ’s latest safety advice for covering the COVID-19 pandemic
CPJ Emergencies has updated its safety advisory for journalists covering the coronavirus pandemic. The advisory includes information on pre-assignment preparations, travel planning, avoiding infection, and post-assignment considerations. Sign up to receive further updates and safety advisories from CPJ Emergencies here. The report is also available in Español, فارسی, and العربية CPJ Digital Manger Ahmed Zidan…
U.S. imposes visa limits on 5 Chinese state media outlets
The U.S. Department of State said in a statement on Monday that it would limit the number of visas available for Chinese journalists working at five designated media organizations. The outlets — Xinhua, CGTN, China Radio, China Daily, and The People’s Daily — will be limited to 100 visas in total. The announcement follows China’s…
US to limit visas at Chinese state media outlets, forcing dozens to leave
Washington, D.C., March 2, 2020 — The U.S. government should immediately suspend efforts to effectively expel dozens of Chinese journalists and put a halt to mutual retaliation over media operations, which threatens to undermine the free flow of information as the COVID-19 epidemic spreads throughout the world, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
To cement internet control, Iran helps journalists get online
In early 2020, a journalist in Iran received a form from Iran’s National E-commerce Union, a nominally independent group that is close to the government, requesting their name, the news website they work for, and their IP address. “With all due respect,” it read, “provide the following information to prevent any potential problem during future…
U.S. reclassifies 5 Chinese state media organizations as ‘foreign missions’
On February 18, 2020, the U.S. State Department said in an official press briefing that five Chinese state-funded news agencies–Xinhua News Agency, China Global Television Network, China Radio International, China Daily Distribution Corporation, and Hai Tian Development USA–are controlled by the Chinese government and will be treated as “foreign missions,” a designation typically used for…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering protests in India
Also available in हिंदी में and اردو میں Demonstrations are continuing across India following the introduction of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December 2019, as reported by The Guardian. Violence has escalated with at least four people killed yesterday, and at least 10 people killed and over 150 injured today, according to news…
CPJ welcomes call for targeted sanctions to protect journalists
When the U.K. launched an initiative to support media freedom in the waning days of Jeremy Hunt’s tenure as foreign minister, CPJ was skeptical that this government-led effort would be more than a feel-good campaign. However, we chose to engage, given the current vacuum of leadership on press freedom globally. As the U.S. pulls back…
Malaysian reporter charged for commentary on Coronavirus
In Malaysia this week, the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court filed three charges against journalist Wan Noor Hayati Wan Alias relating to posts on her public Facebook account about the coronavirus health emergency. Hayati was charged under Section 505(b) of the country’s penal code, a criminal provision banning statements intended to cause “fear or alarm to…