Soldiers block press access to Venezuelan parliament
Since May 7, 2019, the Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guard has blocked journalists from accessing the National Assembly, the country’s legislature, during the body’s debates and activities held every Tuesday, according to news reports and local rights organizations.
Upcoming elections could make or break Tunisia’s fledgling free press
Tunisia’s progression to a freer society took center stage this month, as journalists, digital rights activists, and tech companies gathered in Tunis for RightsCon and the IFJ congress. Tunisia has secured greater press freedom than many of the Arab Spring countries, but local journalists told CPJ that with elections slated for this year, challenges including…
In wake of Christchurch, tech regulation in EU and Australia risks restricting journalism
Terrorism has gone viral. The livestreaming on Facebook of the March attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that news reports said left more than 50 people dead was the latest in a string of terrorist attacks designed for the digital age. More than a dozen world leaders met in Paris last month to…
Two news websites inaccessible in Algeria amid protests, social media shutdowns
New York, June 17, 2019 — Independent news websites Tout Sur l’Algérie and Algérie Part have been widely inaccessible within Algeria since June 12, according to local journalists and news reports. The apparently targeted disruption took place amid anti-government protests that have been ongoing for nearly four months, and began shortly before several social media…
Algerian state broadcaster suspends two journalists amid reporters’ sit-ins
In April and May 2019, Algeria’s Public Establishment of Television, the state broadcaster, suspended at least two television journalists who sought to cover protests in the country, according to journalists who spoke to CPJ and news reports.
CPJ calls on Liberian authorities to ensure access to internet and social media services
Abidjan, June 7, 2019–Starting this morning, social media services including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp were disrupted throughout Liberia, according to data from the internet advocacy group NetBlocks and local journalists who spoke with the Committee to Protect Journalists. NetBlocks also reported disruptions to the Associated Press website and Google’s Gmail and News services…
New accreditation requirements restrict press access to Nigeria’s National Assembly
Berlin, May 21, 2019 — Authorities in Nigeria should withdraw new media accreditation requirements for accessing the National Assembly, the country’s legislature, and ensure that future regulations do not unduly limit freedom of the press and access to information, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.