Togolese journalists Ferdinand Ayité and Isidore Kouwonou sentenced to 3 years in prison
New York, March 17, 2023 — In response to news reports that a Togolese court on Wednesday sentenced journalists Ferdinand Ayité and Isidore Kouwonou to three years in prison for insulting authorities, the Committee to Protect Journalists released the following statement of condemnation: “Togolese authorities should not contest the appeals of L’Alternative publisher Ferdinand Ayité…
Independent journalists banned from covering opening session of new Tunisian parliament
New York, March 14, 2023—In response to news reports that Tunisian lawmakers on Monday banned all non-state media journalists from covering the opening session of parliament, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “Barring journalists from covering the opening session of Tunisia’s new parliament is President Kais Saied’s latest attempt to…
RFE/RL Russian branch declared bankrupt by Moscow court
Paris, March 13, 2023 – In response to news reports that a Russian court declared Monday that the local branch of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was bankrupt, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “The bankruptcy of RFE/RL in Russia demonstrates how the country’s legislation on so-called…
Afghan journalists injured in explosion at press award event
New York, March 11, 2022 – In response to news reports that a number of journalists were wounded in a bomb attack on a press award event in northern Afghanistan on Saturday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for a swift investigation: “Targeting journalists during an event to honor reporters is…
Belarusian court upholds journalist Ivan Muravyou’s 2.5-year prison term
Paris, March 10, 2023–In response to news reports that Belarusian authorities upheld the two-and-a-half-year prison sentence of journalist Ivan Muravyou on Friday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement condemning the ruling: “In Belarus, where trials of members of the media are ruthless and politically motivated, any hope of a fair verdict seems…
CPJ condemns Mexican military surveillance of activist’s communications with journalists
Mexico City, March 7, 2023 – In response to multiple reports published Tuesday stating that Mexican authorities surveilled human rights activist Raymundo Ramos’ conversations with journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “The revelations that Mexican authorities have continued to spy on activists, including their communications with reporters, is a…
US court convicts 2 men of 2012 kidnapping of journalist Michael Scott Moore in Somalia
Nairobi, March 7, 2023—In response to a U.S. federal court’s conviction of two men, Mohamed Tahlil Mohamed and Abdi Yusu Hassan, in the 2012 hostage-taking of German American journalist Michael Scott Moore, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement welcoming the conviction: “The conviction of Mohamed Tahlil Mohamed and Abdi Yusuf Hassan in…
Belarusian authorities label newspaper, journalists’ association as ‘extremist’
Paris, March 7, 2023 — In response to multiple news reports that the Belarusian security service recently labeled the exiled Belarusian Association of Journalists and independent newspaper Brestskaya Gazeta as “extremist,” the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for authorities to stop harassing the organizations and let them work freely: “By labeling…
Belarusian prosecutor requests 10 years in prison for journalist Valeryia Kastsiuhova
Paris, March 6, 2023–In response to media reports reports that a Belarusian prosecutor on Monday requested that journalist Valeryia Kastsiuhova be sentenced to 10 years in prison, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “A Belarusian prosecutor’s request that journalist Valeryia Kastsiuhova spend a decade behind bars is yet another illustration…
Trial to start Tuesday for 3 Mada Masr journalists in Egypt
New York, March 6, 2023–In response to reports that three journalists from the Egyptian independent news website Mada Masr are scheduled to face trial on Tuesday, March 7, on charges of misusing social media and offending members of parliament, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for the charges against them to…