Venezuelan authorities charge 2 journalists, imprison 1, under ‘anti-hate’ law
Miami, July 21, 2020 – Venezuelan authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalists Otilio Rodríguez and Nicmer Evans, release Evans immediately, and stop using the country’s anti-hate law to persecute the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 13, at about 2 p.m., police and counterintelligence agents raided Evans’ Caracas home…
Liberian authorities attack, detain journalist Max Richards Jr.
Abuja, Nigeria, July 21, 2020 — Liberian authorities should investigate the attack and arrest of journalist Max M. Richards Jr. and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 9, in the northeastern city of Ganta, a group of about 15 officers with Liberia’s Drug Enforcement Agency attacked Richards…
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono arrested, charged with incitement in Zimbabwe
New York, July 20, 2020 – Zimbabwean authorities should immediately release independent investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and drop the incitement charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 11 a.m. today, Chin’ono posted two short messages on his Twitter account, which are no longer available after his account was later deactivated,…
Belarus police detain at least 17 journalists covering protests in support of opposition candidates
New York, July 16, 2020 — Belarusian authorities should stop harassing, detaining, and charging members of the press covering protests in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 14 and 15, police in the cities of Minsk, Brest, and Homel detained at least 17 journalists covering protests against the Central Electoral…
Gambian police detain journalist documenting COVID-19 protests
On June 21, 2020, officers of Gambia’s anti-crime police unit detained Ebou N. Keita, an editor and camera operator with the privately owned Gambian Talents Television broadcaster, for photographing police arresting people protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, according to Keita and Gambian Talents Television founder Pa Ousman Joof, both of whom spoke to CPJ via…
Indian police arrest journalist Sharjeel Usmani in Uttar Pradesh
New Delhi, July 15, 2020 — Uttar Pradesh authorities must immediately release Sharjeel Usmani and drop any charges filed against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 8, anti-terror police officers in Azamgarh, a city in Uttar Pradesh state, arrested Usmani, a freelance reporter and writer at the news collective Maktoob, while…
Russian journalists detained during protests for release of jailed reporter Ivan Safronov
On July 13, Moscow police detained at least 18 members of the press who were demonstrating in support of jailed journalist Ivan Safronov, according to news reports. Authorities took the journalists to police stations in Kapotnya, Lefortovo, and Kuzminki districts, accused them of violating protest regulations, and then released them on the condition that they…
Indian authorities arrest 2 journalists covering corruption allegations in West Bengal
New Delhi, July 13, 2020 – West Bengal authorities must immediately release journalists Suraj Ali Khan and Safikul Islam, as well as Islam’s wife, Alima Khatun, and drop all the charges against them and investigations into their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 3 a.m. on June 29, police arrested Khan…
Kurdish Iraqi security forces arrest freelance photojournalist Qaraman Shukri at his home in northwestern Kurdistan
New York, July 8, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern over the arrest by Iraqi Kurdish security forces of freelance photojournalist Qaraman Shukri. On June 27, officers with the Kurdish Asayish security force arrested Shukri, a freelance contributor to pro-Kurdistan People’s Party (PKK) news website RojNews and the broadcaster KNN, which…
Three photographers arrested while covering protests in Medellín, Colombia
On June 15, 2020, police assaulted, arrested, and detained overnight photographers Harrison Agudelo, Juan Carlos Londoño, and Juan Pablo Herrera, according to Londoño who spoke to CPJ via phone and the Bogotá-based group Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP). The incident happened as the three were covering an anti-government protest in the western Colombian city of…