Kashmiri journalists describe new government tactics to control the narrative
In April, after Srinagar-based senior journalist Peerzada Ashiq published an article about the families of two militants who wanted to exhume their bodies to perform funeral rites, police in Kashmir launched an investigation and accused him of publishing “fake news.” Ashiq told CPJ that he had sought official comment on multiple channels, but never received…
Benin regulator orders online media ‘without authorization’ to halt publication
New York, August 4, 2020 — Benin’s media regulator should lift its ban on unauthorized online media and refrain from censoring news websites, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 7, Rémi Prosper Moretti, the president of Benin’s High Authority for Broadcasting and Communication (HAAC), the country’s media regulator, issued an order demanding…
Guinea-Bissau broadcaster Radio Capital FM vandalized
New York, August 3, 2020 — Authorities in Guinea-Bissau should investigate the vandalism of broadcaster Radio Capital FM and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the early morning of July 26, unidentified armed men in uniforms of Guinea-Bissau’s national guard smashed equipment and other property at the office…
Turkey proposes social media law, threatening press freedom
Istanbul, July 23, 2020—A draft bill to strengthen state control of social media platforms, as well as data about those who use them in Turkey, is a troubling sign in a country where journalists are routinely jailed for posting online, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The leading Justice and Development Party (AKP) proposed…
Nepal TV operators refuse to air Indian news channels following critical reports
From July 9 to 13, 2020, at least eight Nepalese cable and satellite operators stopped airing broadcasts from about 20 Indian news channels, following reports perceived to be critical of Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, according to news reports. The vice-chair of Nepalese cable company Max TV, Dhruba Sharma, said that on July…
Gaza authorities ban Saudi-funded broadcasters over ‘fake news’ report
New York, July 16, 2020 – Gaza authorities should immediately lift their bans on the Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath broadcasters and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, the Interior Ministry in the Gaza Strip, which is run by Hamas, banned the Saudi-funded news channels from working in Gaza, and…
Data journalists describe challenges of reporting on the true toll of COVID-19
How many people worldwide have been infected by the coronavirus, and how many have died as a result? Finding reliable information on the virus’s toll has proven such a challenging task that it is nearly impossible to answer these basic questions, five data journalists from around the world told CPJ in May and June. In…
Hackers delete social media content of independent Azerbaijani news outlet Meydan TV
On June 18, 2020, anonymous hackers deleted nearly all of the content from the Azeri-language Facebook page of Meydan TV, an independent Germany-based news outlet that covers Azerbaijan, according to Matthew Kasper, the outlet’s project head, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview. The hackers deleted all of Meydan TV’s Facebook posts since 2018,…
Panama court freezes La Prensa’s assets amid defamation suit by former president
Managua, July 10, 2020 – Panamanian authorities should immediately restore Corporación La Prensa’s access to its financial assets, and ensure that legal actions do not censor the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 4, a Panamanian civil court ordered a freeze on the assets and bank accounts of Corporación La Prensa,…
Army bars journalists from reporting on Beirut’s Hamra Street, citing permit regulations
New York, July 10, 2020 – Lebanese authorities should allow journalists to report from Beirut’s Hamra street and other public areas in the country without seeking prior approval, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 6, two men who identified themselves as army intelligence officers stopped Charbel Abboud, a reporter for French public…