Statements

The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israel to stop making unproven claims that journalists slain by its forces are terrorists or engaging in militant activity, and demands international, swift, and independent investigations into these killings. “Even before the start of the Israel-Gaza war, CPJ had documented Israel’s pattern of accusing journalists of being terrorists…

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 13 other press freedom and human rights organizations on Thursday in criticizing the European Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report on Greece for downplaying the deteriorating state of the rule of law in Greece at a time when media freedom faces dire threats. The EU’s annual assessment ignores the…

New York, July 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a Tunisian court’s sentencing of lawyer and political commentator Sonia Dahmani to one year in prison on Saturday and calls for her immediate release. “The sentencing of Tunisian lawyer and commentator Sonia Dahmani to one year in prison for her political commentary is…

Kampala, July 8, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes a Kenyan court’s Monday ruling that Kenyan authorities violated Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif’s right to life and that his death was arbitrary and unconstitutional. “CPJ welcomes the Kenyan High Court’s ruling that the 2022 killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was unlawful,” said Angela Quintal, head…

Istanbul, July 3, 2024—Turkish authorities should not contest the appeals of eight journalists sentenced to six years and three months in prison on Wednesday and stop prosecuting journalists with baseless claims of terrorism, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. The 4th Ankara Court of Serious Crimes convicted eight journalists on charges of membership in…

Mexico City, July 2, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s Monday declaration that the continued imprisonment of Guatemalan investigative journalist José Rubén Zamora is arbitrary and in violation of international law. CPJ echoes the group’s call for Zamora’s immediate release. “The U.N. Working Group’s acknowledgment of José…

New York, July 1, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Thursday decision by Carlos Hercule, Haiti’s Minister of Justice and Public Security, to place Ronald Richemond, the federal prosecutor of the city of Les Cayes, on leave until further notice. CPJ has reported on allegations linking Richemond to the murder of Haitian radio journalist…

New York, June 26, 2024—As the closed-door trial of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich opened in a Russian court on Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists denounced it as a travesty of justice and renewed its call for the journalist’s immediate release. “U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich goes on trial today after nearly 15 months of unjust…

Nairobi, June 25, 2024—Kenyan authorities must investigate reports of several journalists attacked while covering protests, desist from intimidating the media, and ensure reliable and secure access to the internet, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Thousands of Kenyans have taken to the streets several times since June 18 to protest a proposed law that…

Istanbul, June 25, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed an Istanbul court’s Tuesday acquittal of journalist Sezgin Kartal on the charge of being a member of a terrorist organization. “We are pleased with the acquittal of journalist Sezgin Kartal, but let us not forget that the case against him was built on next to no…