Belarusian court bans Tut.by and affiliated news website Zerkalo.io as ‘extremist’
Stockholm, August 16, 2021 – Belarus authorities should refrain from contesting the appeal of news website Zerkalo.io against its designation as “extremist,” and cease using the country’s anti-extremism laws to stifle independent reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 18, authorities raided the offices of the independent news website Tut.by, interrogated about…
Russian authorities label The Insider a ‘foreign agent,’ search editor’s home
Stockholm, August 3, 2021 – Russian authorities should remove The Insider and all other media organizations and journalists from the country’s register of foreign agents and stop harassing the outlet’s editor-in-chief Roman Dobrokhotov, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 23, the Russian Justice Ministry added independent Latvia-based investigative news site The Insider…
Algeria revokes accreditation of Saudi channel Al-Arabiya over allegedly spreading misinformation
New York, August 2, 2021 – Algerian authorities should immediately reverse their decision to revoke the accreditation of Saudi news channel Al-Arabiya and ensure that the channel can operate freely in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 31, Algeria’s communications ministry withdrew Al-Arabiya’s press accreditation for allegedly spreading misinformation while…
Two Nigerian journalists respond to the government’s ongoing Twitter ban
More than a month after Nigeria’s federal government suspended access to Twitter, CPJ’s review of local accounts found at least some run by media outlets have gone silent. Twitter was inaccessible when CPJ tried to visit it from Nigeria in mid-July. However, after the ban, Nigerian outlet The Guardian reported a huge spike in searches…
Belarus authorities dissolve Belarus Press Club
Stockholm, July 27, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should reverse their decision to dissolve Press Club Belarus and allow the organization and its staff to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 21, the Minsk City Executive Committee, the city administration headed by a presidential appointee, initiated the dissolution of the independent…
Belarus authorities sue to shut down independent journalist organization
Stockholm, July 22, 2021 – Belarus authorities should immediately drop all proceedings against the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) and allow members of the press and their trade organizations to operate freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, the Justice Ministry of Belarus applied to the country’s Supreme Court to dissolve BAJ, the…
‘Fear and anxiety’ rules among local journalists, Hong Kong Journalists Association finds
The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) found that authorities use the national security law to silence journalists, systematically limit the media’s ability to access to public databases, and force public and private broadcasters to minimize their political content and, in the case of at least one public broadcaster, spread government propaganda in its annual report,…
Journalists harassed, obstructed while covering home demolitions in India
Washington, D.C., July 19, 2021 — Indian authorities should cease harassing and obstructing members of the press covering protests and demolitions in Khori Gaon, in Haryana state, and ensure that they can report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 30, and then repeatedly in mid-July, police have threatened, harassed, and obstructed…
Ethiopia withdraws Addis Standard license, outlet ceases publication
Nairobi, July 15, 2021 – In response to Ethiopian authorities’ withdrawal today of the news website Addis Standard’s license, prompting the outlet to suspend operations, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “For years, Addis Standard has been an important source of critical reporting and commentary on Ethiopia. Today’s move to withdraw its…