Ugandan media censored over Walk to Work protests
Freedom of the press in Uganda hit a new low late last week when the government, in response to a decision by opposition figures to demonstrate against the escalating price of food and fuel by walking to work, banned live coverage of the protests and issued a directive to Internet providers to block two popular…
Ahead of election, cyber-attacks cripple online media
Bangkok, April 19, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by cyber-attacks against three news and commentary sites that preceded Saturday’s important election in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, on the island of Borneo. The country’s main news portal Malaysiakini, Sarawak Report, and the Malay and English versions of the opposition Harakahdaily website all reported similar attacks.…
CPJ condemns attack on office of news website
New York, April 19, 2011–Six men raided the office of a news website in Amman on Monday, threatening its staff and destroying equipment. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the assault on Al-Muharrir and calls on Jordanian authorities to investigate the attack thoroughly.
Swedish television crew detained, deported
New York, April 18, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed dismay today over Azerbaijan’s deportation of a Swedish television crew that had arrived in Baku to film a documentary on human rights and freedom of speech. CPJ urged Azerbaijani authorities to stop obstructing the international press.
Freelance, online reporting discouraged on nuclear threat
The Japanese government upped the danger rating for the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to its highest level, 7, on Tuesday, a month after an earthquake and tsunami devastated the country. It was not yet clear whether the administration or the Tokyo Electric Power Company, which runs the plant, withheld the extent…
Burundi seeks life sentence for Kavumbagu
New York, April 14, 2011–A Burundi state prosecutor asked a panel of judges on Wednesday to hand journalist Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, who has been imprisoned since July 2010 over a column critical of the country’s security forces, the maximum life sentence on a charge of treason, according to local journalists.
Substantial setback for press freedom in Egypt
New York, April 13, 2011–A new requirement by the Egyptian military that local print media obtain approval for all mentions of the armed forces before publication is the single worst setback for press freedom in Egypt since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in February, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Swaziland security forces target journalists
New York, April 12, 2011–Authorities in the kingdom of Swaziland should allow the news media to report freely on anti-government protests, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today after security forces harassed at least 10 local and international journalists covering a mass demonstration demanding political and economic reform after more than two decades of rule…