Nigerian military seizes leading newspapers
New York, June 6, 2014–The Nigerian military this morning confiscated or destroyed copies of at least four leading newspapers, Punch, Leadership, Vanguard, and The Nation, around the country, according to news reports. A defense official claimed that authorities were looking for “materials with grave security implications,” the reports said.
When Pakistan’s largest news channel becomes the news
Today, Pakistan’s most watched news channel, Geo News, was ordered off the air and fined by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). Earlier this week, CPJ documented an attack on Zafar Aheer, an editor of the Urdu-language Daily Jang, by six masked men–the latest in a series of attacks, threats, and acts of intimidation…
Pakistani regulator suspends Geo News
New York, June 6, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a decision today by Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to suspend the license of Geo News. The regulator said if the channel does not pay a fine of 10 million rupees (US$100,000) by the end of the 15-day suspension, it will remain off the air,…
Prominent show canceled as Egypt moves to monitor Internet use
New York, June 2, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by reports that a popular Egyptian TV host has taken his show off the air, citing harassment. CPJ is also disturbed by reports that Egyptian authorities are moving to monitor social media.
Journalists targeted by both sides in Nigeria’s war on terror
The struggle between Nigerian authorities and militant extremist group Boko Haram was recently thrust into the global spotlight with the abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls, but journalists in the country have been squeezed between the two sides for years.
Ethiopia’s independent publishers may face another hurdle
In what appears to be one of a collection of measures to silence the press ahead of 2015 elections, Ethiopian authorities in the Communications Ministry are preparing a new system to control the distribution of print media. Privately owned newspapers and magazines, possibly the only remaining independent news sources in the country, would face more…
Singapore blogger: ‘I have been waiting’ for government backlash
EDITOR’S NOTE: This week, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong demanded an apology from a critical blogger who has allegedly accused him of corruption. Roy Ngerng Yi Ling, who is also a healthcare worker, has frequently posted critical commentary on the ruling People’s Action Party on his blog, The Heart Truths.
Media squeezed in Thai military coup
Bangkok, May 22, 2014–Thailand’s military-led National Peace and Order Maintaining Council today seized administrative power in a coup and ordered local broadcast media to halt regular programming and local satellite and cable service providers to block international news channels, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the military-imposed censorship and calls for an…
Saudi censorship blurs lines between journalism, activism
Since the surprise Arab uprisings of 2011, the Saudi government has worked assiduously to ensure it has all the tools of censorship it needs to control dissent. These tools–a combination of special courts, laws, and regulatory authorities–are starting to fire on all cylinders. The result has been a string of arrests and prosecutions in recent…