Statements

  
A worker of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute measures a man's temperature in Addis Ababa, on March 17, 2020. Ethiopian police are holding journalist Yayesew Shimelis pending a terrorism investigation. (AFP/Eduardo Soteras)

Ethiopian police hold journalist Yayesew Shimelis pending terrorism investigation

Nairobi, April 16, 2020 — In response to Ethiopian authorities’ new terrorism allegations against broadcast journalist Yayesew Shimelis today, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

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President Donald Trump is seen in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 8, 2020, in Washington. The White House recently accused the Voice of America broadcaster of promoting "foreign propaganda." (AP/Alex Brandon)

Trump’s White House blasts VOA for ‘promoting propaganda’

Washington D.C., April 10, 2020—The Committee to Protect Journalists today said it is appalled by an official White House statement yesterday accusing Voice of America (VOA), the U.S. Congress-funded international broadcaster, of “speak[ing] for America’s adversaries” and promoting Chinese propaganda on the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Jordanian soldiers are seen in Amman on March 18, 2020. The Jordanian military recently arrested two journalists over their COVID-19 coverage. (AFP/Khalil Mazraawi)

Jordan arrests 2 Roya TV journalists over COVID-19 coverage

New York, April 10, 2020 — In response to Jordanian authorities’ arrest of Fares Sayegh, general manager of the privately owned satellite station Roya TV, and Mohammad Alkhalidi, the channel’s news director, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

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Maxence Melo leaves court in Dar es Salaam yesterday after being convicted of obstructing police investgiations. (Jamii Forums)

Tanzanian court convicts Maxence Melo of obstructing investigation, levies fine

Nairobi, April 9, 2020— In response to a Tanzanian court’s conviction yesterday of Maxence Melo, founder of the online discussion and whistleblowing platform Jamii Forums, on charges of obstructing police investigations, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

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Turkey's Deputy Parliament Speaker Levent Gok (center) is seen in the Parliament in Ankara on April 7, 2020. The Turkish parliament is considering an amnesty bill that would release 90,000 prisoners, but not include journalists. (AFP/Adem Altan)

Turkey amnesty bill would release 90,000 prisoners, but no journalists

New York, April 7, 2020 — In response to the Turkish Parliament’s proposed bill that would release 90,000 prisoners to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but which would not free journalists held as political prisoners, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

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Police are seen in Bogota, Colombia, on March 25, 2020. Authorities recently suspended meetings of the country's journalist protection program amid fears of the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP/Fernando Vergara)

Colombian protection unit suspends risk assessments ‘indefinitely’ due to coronavirus

New York, April 2, 2020 — In response to the Colombian National Protection Unit’s announcement that it would be suspending the country’s Risk Assessment and Protection Measures Recommendation Committee, which grants protective measures to journalists, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

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A portrait of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl stands at the altar of St. Bride's Church prior to a memorial service in London on March 5, 2002. A Pakistani court overturned the convictions of four men in Pearl's murder on April 2, 2020. (Reuters/Ian Waldie)

Pakistan court overturns murder convictions in Daniel Pearl case

Washington, D.C., April 2, 2020–In response to the decision of the Sindh High Court in Pakistan to overturn the murder convictions of four men accused in the 2002 killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

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A police officer is seen at Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, on March 19, 2020. Egypt recently expelled Guardian reporter Ruth Michaelson over her reporting on the COVID-19 outbreak. (Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

Egypt expels Guardian reporter Ruth Michaelson over COVID-19 coverage

New York, March 26, 2020 — In response to Egypt’s expulsion of Ruth Michaelson, a reporter for The Guardian, the Committee to Protect Journalists released the following statement:

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A police officer is seen near a picture of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2, 2019. Today, Turkey indicted 20 Saudi nationals in Khashoggi's killing. (AP/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkey indicts 20 Saudi nationals over Jamal Khashoggi killing

New York, March 25, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed an announcement that Turkish officials have indicted 20 Saudi nationals on charges of murder and incitement linked to the 2018 killing of exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and issued the following statement:

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Bolivarian National Guards use a water cannon to spray disinfectant as a preventive measure against the spread of the new coronavirus, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, March 21, 2020. (AP/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan journalist arrested by special forces following coronavirus coverage

Miami, March 22, 2020 — Venezuelan authorities must immediately release journalist Darvinson Rojas and ensure that the media can cover the coronavirus outbreak in the country without fear of retribution, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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