Turkish courts find 2 journalists guilty on terror charges
Istanbul, April 18, 2023—In response to Turkish authorities’ sentencing of two journalists on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “By issuing prison sentences to Mehmet Güleş and İsmail Çoban, Turkish authorities have yet again abused the country’s anti-terror legislation,” said Özgür Öğret, CPJ’s Turkey…
CPJ welcomes conviction in 1988 murder of Peruvian journalist Hugo Bustíos
Bogotá, April 14, 2023—A Peruvian court on Thursday, April 13, convicted Daniel Urresti—a former presidential candidate, interior minister, and congressman—and sentenced him to 12 years in prison for his role in the 1988 murder of journalist Hugo Bustíos, news reports said. Urresti, 66, a retired army general, was convicted of taking part in an ambush…
Vietnam sentences journalist Nguyen Lan Thang to 6 years in prison
Bangkok, April 13, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday condemned the sentencing of imprisoned Vietnamese journalist Nguyen Lan Thang to six years in prison on anti-state charges in relation to his reporting on human rights issues in the country. “The harsh sentence handed to journalist Nguyen Lan Thang is an outrage and must be immediately and…
Journalist Victor Ticay arrested over coverage of Easter ceremony in Nicaragua
Guatemala City, April 7, 2023—Nicaraguan authorities should immediately release journalist Victor Ticay and cease detaining members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On the morning of Thursday, April 6, police in the southwestern town of Nandaime arrested Ticay, a reporter for the privately owned TV broadcaster Canal 10,…
Burkina Faso expels journalists Sophie Douce and Agnès Faivre
New York, April 3, 2023 – Authorities in Burkina Faso on Saturday, April 1, expelled Agnès Faivre and Sophie Douce, correspondents for the French privately owned Liberation and Le Monde newspapers respectively, according to statements published by both outlets condemning the decisions and other media reports. The previous day, state security officials had summoned the…
Algerian authorities sentence journalist Ihsane el-Kadi to 5 years in prison, dissolve outlets Radio M and Maghreb Emergent
New York, April 3, 2023 – In response to news reports that an Algerian court sentenced journalist Ihsane el-Kadi to five years in prison on Sunday and dissolved the local independent broadcaster Radio M and news website Maghreb Emergent, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “An Algerian court’s decision to…
CPJ calls for Kenyan authorities to ensure journalists can cover protests safely
Nairobi, March 31, 2023 – In response to journalists being harassed, attacked, and arrested while covering mass anti-government protests in Kenya since March 20, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for authorities to take action to protect members of the press: “Journalists covering the ongoing protests in Kenya are carrying out…
Burkina Faso indefinitely suspends France 24 over Al-Qaeda interview
New York, March 28, 2023 – Authorities in Burkina Faso on Monday indefinitely suspended French public broadcaster France 24 over an interview with the head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, according to news reports and the suspension announcement, which accused the outlet of acting as a communication agency for terrorism and legitimizing hate speech. …
Nigerian journalist Agba Jalingo detained on cybercrime charges
Abuja, March 27, 2023 – A federal court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Monday ordered the detention of CrossRiverWatch publisher Agba Jalingo for allegedly publishing false news that caused “annoyance, ill will and insult,” in violation of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act, according to a report by the outlet and CrossRiverWatch editor Jonathan Ugbal, who spoke to…
CPJ welcomes Biden executive order limiting use of commercial spyware
Washington, D.C., March 27, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists has welcomed President Joe Biden’s executive order restricting the U.S. government’s use of commercial spyware tools. The order, issued Monday, prohibits executive departments and agencies from using the spyware if they determine it could pose significant counterintelligence or security risks to the U.S. government or be…