Journalists harassed, detained, and sentenced to jail in South Sudan
New York, November 5, 2020 — South Sudanese authorities should immediately release journalists Zechariah Makuach Maror and Jackson Ochaya and halt all acts of intimidation against the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 1, Ochaya, a reporter with the privately owned No. 1 Citizen newspaper, went missing and was later confirmed…
Brazilian journalists threatened, assaulted while covering pandemic lockdown
Rio de Janeiro, November 4, 2020 — Brazilian authorities must promptly investigate the harassment of journalist Bárbara Barbosa and camera operator Renato Soder and ensure the press can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the morning of November 2, in the southern city of Florianópolis, a group of about nine unidentified…
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono rearrested, charged with contempt of court
New York, November 3, 2020 – Zimbabwean police arrested journalist Hopewell Chin’ono at his home in Harare, the capital, earlier today and charged him with contempt of court for an October 28 tweet citing judges’ alleged criticism of Zimbabwean Chief Justice Luke Malaba, according to a Twitter post by Rose Hanzi, executive director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. According…
Peruvian police raid offices of television and radio outlets in Ica, confiscate equipment
Bogotá, November 3, 2020 – Peruvian authorities must immediately allow local news outlets Cadena Sur and Radio La Mega to resume broadcasting, and return any materials confiscated during the raid of the outlets and of Radio Sistema, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 27, police officers in the southern Peruvian city of Ica raided the Cadena Sur TV…
Italian TV crew covering anti-lockdown demonstration attacked and chased in Naples
In the evening of October 23, 2020, a group of protesters attacked and chased Paolo Fratter, a reporter for Italian news channel Sky TG 24, and his camera operator, Fabio Giulianelli, while they were covering a demonstration against the COVID-19 lockdown in Naples, according to a report by their employer and Fratter, who communicated with…
Hungarian police question journalists for ‘illicit data collection’ after use of drone footage
Berlin, October 28, 2020 — Hungarian police must stop harassing journalists Gabriella Horn and Balázs Gulyás, and drop any investigation into their sources and their use of drone footage to report on information of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 26, the business crime unit of the Hungarian police in…
Angolan police detain, harass, and beat journalists covering protests
New York, October 27, 2020 — Angolan police should stop arresting and assaulting journalists and allow them to do their jobs freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At least six journalists and one media worker were arrested – with four held for more than two days – and another was harassed while covering…
Mumbai police open investigation into Republic TV journalists
New Delhi, October 27, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Mumbai police to stop trying to intimidate journalists at Republic TV and drop all criminal investigations into the news channel. On October 23, Mumbai police opened an investigation into five members of the privately-held news channel’s editorial team in relation to…
Russian journalist Irina Slavina dies of self-immolation after harassment by authorities
New York, October 26, 2020 – Russian federal authorities should investigate the circumstances of the death of journalist Irina Slavina, who died of self-immolation in early October after a campaign of legal harassment by authorities, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 2, 2020, Slavina, founder and chief editor of independent news website Koza.Press,…
Venezuelan intelligence services raid Correo del Caroní newspaper, detain employees
Miami, October 22, 2020 — Venezuelan authorities must stop harassing and threatening the Correo del Caroní newspaper, its owner, and its employees, and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 20, at about 9 a.m., agents from the Bolivarian Intelligence Service raided the headquarters of Correo del Caroní,…