Statements
2015
CPJ condemns conviction, sentence in Egypt’s retrial of Al-Jazeera journalists
New York, August 29, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the conviction of three Al-Jazeera journalists in their retrial in Egypt today. A Cairo court sentenced Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, Baher Mohamed, and Peter Greste to three years in prison each for “aiding a terrorist organization,” spreading false news, and working without a license, according to…
Journalist shot dead in Mozambique
New York, August 28, 2015–An unidentified gunman shot dead a Mozambican journalist who was out jogging in the capital city of Maputo early today, according to news reports. Paulo Machava was the publisher of the news website Diario de Noticias and had worked with Rádio Moçambique and the weekly Savana, according to reports.
Two U.S. journalists killed during live broadcast in Virginia
New York, August 26, 2015–Two journalists affiliated with the Virginia TV station WDBJ7 were killed early today during a live broadcast, according to news reports. Alison Parker, a reporter for the station, and Adam Ward, a photographer, were interviewing a woman about a shopping plaza in Moneta, a small community near Roanoke city, when they…
CPJ welcomes arrests in 2010 disappearance of Sri Lankan journalist Prageeth Eknelygoda
New York, August 24, 2015–At least four Sri Lankan army officers were arrested on Monday and accused of involvement in the January 2010 disappearance of Prageeth Eknelygoda, a political cartoonist and columnist, according to news reports. Another army officer and two civilians were arrested earlier this month, reports said. The arrests come following a pledge…
Azerbaijani prosecutor requests nine-year jail term for Khadija Ismayilova
New York, August 21, 2015–A state prosecutor today called for Azerbaijani investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova to be sentenced to nine years in prison, according to pro-government news agency Trend. The request was made during a hearing in the Baku Court of Serious Crimes that was closed to independent journalists and rights activists, the regional press…
Hong Kong must identify, prosecute the mastermind of 2014 attack on journalist Kevin Lau
New York, August 13, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Hong Kong to work quickly and efficiently to identify the mastermind of the February 2014 attack on newspaper editor Kevin Lau Chun-to and ensure there is full justice in the case. Two men identified as Yip Kim-wah and Wong Chi-wah were found…
Two U.S. journalists charged months after being arrested in Ferguson
New York, August 11, 2015–Two U.S. journalists have been charged in Missouri with trespassing and interfering with a police officer nearly a year after they were detained by police in the city of Ferguson, according to news reports. Wesley Lowery, a reporter for The Washington Post, and Ryan J. Reilly, a reporter for the Huffington…
Baku court bars press and family from Khadija Ismayilova trial
New York, August 7, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Azerbaijani authorities to ensure due process in the trial against award-winning investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova. When Ismayilova appeared at Baku Court on Grave Crimes for the first substantive hearing in her case today, journalists, international observers, and the reporter’s family were barred from entering…
Brazilian journalist dies after being shot while hosting radio program
New York, August 7, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder on Thursday of Brazilian radio journalist Gleydson Carvalho in the municipality of Camocim in the northeastern state of Ceará and calls on authorities to bring the killers to justice. Carvalho was presenting a program on Radio Liberdade FM when two unidentified gunmen entered…
Fourth blogger killed in six months in Bangladesh
New York, August 7, 2015–Bangladeshi authorities should immediately investigate the murder today of a secular blogger who was hacked to death by six assailants with sharp weapons in his home in the capital, Dhaka, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The blogger, who is known as Niloy Neel, frequently criticized religious extremism in the…