Kurdish intelligence officers detain photojournalist in Iraqi Kurdistan
On July 9, 2019, in the city of Sulaymaniyah, in Iraqi Kurdistan, Kurdish security forces detained and questioned freelance photojournalist Zmnako Ismael for more than an hour while he was covering the funeral of Diyar Gharib Mohammed, a senior leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party militant group, according to local news reports and Ismael, who…
‘It should not be accepted as normal’: Female journalists on harassment, intimidation in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is generally considered to have a positive press freedom reputation, but when the independent Dutch Association of Journalists released the findings of its survey of over 350 female journalists in May, over half said they had been subjected to intimidation or violence in their work and around 70 percent said these threats were…
Indian investigative agency questions Greater Kashmir editor Fayaz Kaloo for 6 days
New Delhi, July 9, 2019–Indian authorities should stop harassing journalists and employees of the Greater Kashmir newspaper, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Fayaz Kaloo, the editor-in-chief of the privately owned newspaper–one of the leading dailies in Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir state–was questioned for nearly a week by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), according…
Report by Turkish pro-government think tank criticizes foreign outlets, journalists
On July 5, 2019, Turkey’s Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research, an Ankara-based think tank, released a report that described some foreign media outlets operating in Turkey and their correspondents as “anti-government” and “pro-terrorism.”
UK should not deny media access based on propaganda label
CPJ writes to U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to express concern at his government’s decision to deny accreditation to Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik based on a determination that the outlets are a form of propaganda. The move empowers autocratic governments around the world who use a similar rationale to justify the repression of critical journalism.
Two Ghanaian journalists arrested and interrogated, one allegedly tortured in custody
New York, July 9, 2019 — Ghana’s Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice should immediately launch an independent investigation into the arrests of Modern Ghana editor Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri and reporter Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum and security forces’ alleged torture of Abugri, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Albania’s journalists tread fine line when covering organized crime, politics
The intersection of organized crime, corruption and politics in Albania is impacting the country’s press. During a joint mission by a coalition of press freedom organizations to Tirana in June, CPJ Europe Correspondent Attila Mong spoke with journalists about challenges including threats, attacks, political interference, and legal harassment.
Armed men raid offices of Iraqi broadcaster and newspaper following corruption investigation
Beirut, July 2, 2019 — Iraqi authorities should investigate the armed raid against the Baghdad offices of Al-Journal and 7C TV and determine if the perpetrators were acting on behalf of a member of parliament, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.