Siege over, but damage to Ugandan press may last
Journalists are back to work at Uganda’s leading privately owned daily, The Monitor, after a 10-day siege of their newsroom by police. But that does not mean it is business as usual for the nation’s press. The paper’s owners at the Nation Media Group evidently begged and negotiated for its reopening–signaling to other media houses…
Four newspapers suspended in Republic of Congo
New York, June 7, 2013–Authorities in the Republic of Congo should lift the suspensions against four weekly newspapers in connection with their articles critical of government officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The suspensions were handed down by an official board whose 11 members are all hand-picked by the president.
Photographers attacked: Two weeks in southern Africa
From Cape Town to Lilongwe, four photographers on routine news assignments in major southern Africa cities were assaulted by security officials in the past two weeks. The details differ, but the heavy-handed actions in each case reflect a belief among those responsible for security that they are above the law and not publicly accountable. These…
In Turkey, threats to restrict Internet, journalists attacked
Istanbul, June 5, 2013–Turkish authorities should not interfere with the free flow of information online or in any other media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today after a senior government official suggested Internet restrictions could be in the offing.
Authorities block hundreds of websites in Jordan
New York, June 3, 2013–The Jordanian government announced plans on Sunday to block more than 300 websites for failing to register under the Press and Publications Law, news sources reported. Access to several of the sites has already been blocked within the country, the reports said.
Monitor, Red Pepper closures spark protests in Uganda
Nairobi, May 29, 2013–Ugandan police on Tuesday assaulted and detained several journalists who were among a crowd of demonstrators protesting the government’s closure of four independent news outlets, according to news reports and local journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists said today that the police actions only highlight the government’s continuing effort to suppress information…
Algeria blocks two newspapers from publishing
Algeria’s Ministry of Communications on May 18, 2013, ordered two newspapers, the daily Mon Journal and its Arabic counterpart Djaridati, to remove two pages from their next day’s editions that focused on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s health, according to news reports.
CPJ condemns ransacking of radio station in Bolivia
Bogotá, Colombia, May 28, 2013–An attack on a community radio station in central Bolivia constitutes a politically motivated attempt to censor its news coverage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today as it called on authorities to investigate and apprehend the attackers.