Weighing China jailed cases amid censorship and fear
My native China is consistently among the world’s worst jailers of journalists. This year, it has been eclipsed by Turkey, which is holding a record number of journalists behind bars. But since CPJ began conducting an annual census in 1990, China has topped the ignoble list 18 times.
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of December 11
Columnist jailed pending ‘insult’ trial for remarks on Syria Istanbul’s Ninth Court of Penal Peace this evening ordered Hüsnü Mahalli, a columnist for the leftist newspaper Yurt, jailed pending trial on charges of “insulting the president” and “insulting a board of civil servants in the course of discharging their duties,” the official Anatolia Agency reported.
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of December 4
Wire reporter released pending conclusion of trial Mardin’s Second Court for Serious Crimes today released Zehra Doğan, a reporter for the shuttered news agency JİNHA, pending the conclusion of her trial, which began today, the pro-Kurdish Dihaber news agency reported. Police detained Doğan on July 22, and a court arraigned her on terrorism charges on…
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of November 27
Wire reporter releasedPolice in southeastern Mardin province today released Fethi Balaman, the leftist daily newspaper Evrensel reported. Police on November 29 detained the former reporter for the pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency, which the government on October 31 ordered closed by emergency decree. [December 1, 2016]
In Egypt, censorship, an arrest, and court hearings for journalists
Restrictions against the press continue in Egypt, with ongoing trials of journalists, some of whom have been in detention for more than three years, allegations that a TV station was ordered to drop a planned broadcast of an interview with a former official, and a reporter detained while trying to cover a sensitive story. Egypt…
Proposed changes to Mexico’s right to reply would increase burden on media
Mexico City, November 4, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern today over proposed changes to Mexico’s media regulations that could force the press to publish or broadcast more replies to news stories. The changes are due to be voted on by the country’s Supreme Court November 7.
Myanmar obstructs reporters from covering crisis in Rakhine State
Bangkok, November 3, 2016–Security officials in Myanmar should stop obstructing and harassing journalists attempting to report on the conflict in the country’s northern Rakhine State, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The censorship comes amid widespread allegations of military abuses, including allegations of sexual violence, perpetrated as part of an intensified counterinsurgency campaign along…
Turkey closes 15 media outlets, raids newspaper office, detains at least 12
New York, October 31, 2016 — The Turkish government should immediately reverse an emergency decree closing at least 15 news agencies, newspapers, and magazines and should immediately release all journalists imprisoned on bogus charges for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of October 30
Social media websites, WhatsApp blocked as police detain opposition leaders Turkey last night blocked access to social media websites and the text-messaging application WhatsApp as police arrested members of parliament for the opposition HDP party, including the party’s co-chairs, Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yuksekdag, according to press reports.