Nicaraguan police detain journalist Miguel Mendoza for alleged treason
New York, June 23, 2021 — Nicaraguan authorities should immediately release journalist Miguel Mendoza, drop the criminal investigation into him, and halt the escalating campaign of harassment against the independent press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 9 p.m. on June 21, officers with the Nicaraguan National Police detained Mendoza and raided…
Hong Kong police arrest Apple Daily editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee under national security law
Taipei, June 23, 2021 – Hong Kong authorities must immediately release journalist Yeung Ching-kee, drop any charges against him, and allow all members of the press to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. This morning, officers from the Hong Kong Police Force’s National Security Department arrested Yeung, the lead editorial writer for…
Hong Kong police arrest 5 Apple Daily executives, raid headquarters
Washington, D.C., June 16, 2021 — In response to the Hong Kong police force’s raid on the office of the independent newspaper Apple Daily and the arrests of five executives today, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The arrests of five executives at the pro-democracy Apple Daily today under Hong Kong’s Orwellian…
Indian journalist Ganji Raghu arrested for alleged rioting
New Delhi, June 9, 2021 — Authorities in the Indian state of Telangana should immediately release journalist Ganji Raghu and drop any criminal investigation into his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 3, masked men in plain clothes grabbed Raghu, a reporter with the news website Tolivelugu, outside his home in…
Botswana police charge Moeladilotlhoko News Boiler staff with criminal trespass
Lusaka, June 2, 2021 – Botswana authorities should immediately drop the criminal charges against two journalists and three media workers at the Moeladilotlhoko News Boiler and cease harassing members of the press and seizing their devices, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The five are expected in court this month in connection to a case dating…
Zimbabwe court denies bail to NY Times freelancer Jeffrey Moyo, claiming national security threat
New York, June 2, 2021 – Zimbabwe authorities should not contest journalist Jeffrey Moyo’s appeal of a recent ruling denying him bail, and should drop the criminal case against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 31, a court in the city of Bulawayo denied Moyo’s bail request, and ordered him to…
In Belarus, Pratasevich’s arrest highlights risks facing journalists covering protests
The May 23 arrest of Belarusian journalist and blogger Raman Pratasevich off a diverted commercial passenger flight was a shattering blow to press freedom in Belarus. Pratasevich is the co-founder of NEXTA and chief editor of Belarus of the Brain, two Telegram channels that covered protests against President Aleksandr Lukashenko, a dangerous beat in the country where demonstrations are…
LISTEN: A year after unprecedented assaults on US media covering protests, what comes next?
Last May, VICE video journalist Dave Mayers went to Minneapolis to cover protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in police custody. A day later, he was arrested with his entire crew for violating a curfew order that specifically exempted reporters. All over the United States, journalists like Mayers were impeded from doing their…
Belarusian authorities briefly detain 4 Tut.by journalists; at least 13 staff remain in custody
New York, May 25, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all employees of the independent news website Tut.by who remain in custody, and cease harassing the outlet’s employees, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, police in Minsk, the capital, arrested Tut.by reporters Anastasiya Prudnikava and Dzianis Burkouski, and social media…
Ghana police detain 2 Citi FM journalists, beat 1 in custody
Abuja, May 25, 2021 – Ghanaian authorities must thoroughly investigate allegations that police officers beat journalist Caleb Kudah in custody; arbitrarily detained Kudah and his colleague, Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo; and deleted photos from their phones, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 11, police officers in Accra, the capital, detained and beat Kudah,…