Iraqi federal police detain Kurdistan TV crew in Kirkuk
On May 25, 2022, the Iraqi federal police obstructed and detained a two-person crew working for Kurdistan TV, the official broadcaster of Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party, in a village in Daquq district, southwest of Kirkuk province, and released them after an hour of questioning, according to a report by Kurdistan TV and the…
Istanbul police beat, tear gas, detain journalists while breaking up public protest
Istanbul, June 2, 2022 – Turkish authorities should take concrete steps to prevent police violence toward members of the press in the country after several journalists were beaten and detained while covering a recent protest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Tuesday evening, at least six journalists were detained by Istanbul police while…
Iranian freelance journalist Arash Ghaleh-Golab detained during mourning ceremony
Washington, D.C., June 1, 2022 — Iranian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release freelance reporter Arash Ghaleh-Golab, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On May 26, Ghaleh-Golab was at a traditional mourning ceremony near the Metropol building, which recently collapsed, killing 31 people, in Abadan city in the southwestern Khuzestan province, when he was…
Exiled Belarusian journalists face terrorism charges; former journalist detained
Paris, May 27, 2022 – Belarus authorities should drop all charges against journalists Stsypan Putsila and Yan Rudzik, immediately release detained former journalist Aliaksandr Lyubyanchuk, and stop labeling media outlets as terrorists or extremists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Thursday, May 26, law enforcement officers in the western Belarusian village of Krivichy…
Three Congolese radio journalists stripped, beaten by intelligence agents
Kinshasa, May 25, 2022 — Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo must hold to account those responsible for stripping and beating journalists Cédar Sabiti, Samuel Matela, and Junior Batu Ngole while they were detained, and ensure that the press can report and comment on matters of public interest freely and without fear of…
Ethiopian authorities arrest 11 employees of 4 independent media outlets
New York, May 24, 2022 – Ethiopian authorities should immediately release all recently arrested journalists and media workers and ensure that authorities cease harassing members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Authorities have arrested at least 11 journalists and media workers since May 19 in Amhara state and the capital Addis…
Two Somali journalists sentenced to 16 months in jail for false news
New York, May 23, 2022 — In response to news reports and statements from local rights groups that the Hargeisa Regional Court in the breakaway region of Somaliland sentenced journalists Mohamed Abdi Sheikh, known as Ilig, and Abdijabar Mohamed Hussein to 16 months imprisonment for subversion and false news on Monday, the Committee to Protect…
Taliban intelligence agents detain, pressure Afghan journalist Jebran Lawrand to stop critical reporting
Washington D.C., May 23, 2022 – Taliban authorities must investigate the arbitrary detention, questioning, and intimidation of Afghan journalist Jebran Lawrand and allow local press members to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On April 25, Lawrand, a political programs manager and presenter at the independent Kabul News TV station, was summoned…
Nigerian journalist detained after republishing article about Ogun state governor
Abuja, May 20, 2022 — Nigerian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Olamilekan Hammed Adewale Bashiru, who has been arbitrarily detained since May 13, and allow him to work without intimidation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On May 13, Nigerian Department of State Security (DSS) officers arrested Bashiru, founder of the privately…