Brazilian journalists threatened, assaulted while covering pandemic lockdown
Rio de Janeiro, November 4, 2020 — Brazilian authorities must promptly investigate the harassment of journalist Bárbara Barbosa and camera operator Renato Soder and ensure the press can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the morning of November 2, in the southern city of Florianópolis, a group of about nine unidentified…
Italian TV crew covering anti-lockdown demonstration attacked and chased in Naples
In the evening of October 23, 2020, a group of protesters attacked and chased Paolo Fratter, a reporter for Italian news channel Sky TG 24, and his camera operator, Fabio Giulianelli, while they were covering a demonstration against the COVID-19 lockdown in Naples, according to a report by their employer and Fratter, who communicated with…
Italian journalist Mimmo Rubio threatened over coverage of COVID-19 protests, organized crime
Berlin, October 29, 2020 — Italian authorities must conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the threats to journalist Mimmo Rubio and ensure his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 19, a group of about 20 people driving scooters and demonstrating against the coronavirus lockdown in Arzano, in southern Italy, staged…
Police question 2 Slovenian journalists at public broadcaster RTV
On September 15, 2020, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, a uniformed police officer informed Mojca Šetinc Pašek, a reporter and editor at the public broadcaster RTV Slovenia, and Miša Molk, a host on the network, that a criminal complaint had been filed against them, according to Pašek, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview, and a…
How do I cover COVID-19? Frequently asked questions for CPJ’s safety experts
The coronavirus has changed the way journalists report around the world. As COVID-19 morphed into a pandemic in early 2020, journalists quickly needed to know how to safely cover the world’s biggest news story. The uncertainty around the virus meant that even stepping outside was fraught with risk. Journalists soon got in touch with CPJ’s…
Indian journalist attacked and newspaper threatened in Tripura state following chief minister’s criticism of press
New Delhi, September 16, 2020 – Authorities in India’s Tripura state should drop any legal threats against publications there, thoroughly investigate attacks on journalists, and guarantee press freedom in the state, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 11, state Chief Minister Biplab Deb, a member of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, condemned…
Egypt detains 2 journalists, including 1 with COVID-19 who was quarantined, now hospitalized
New York, September 4, 2020 – Egyptian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Hany Greisha and El-Sayed Shehta and stop arresting journalists during a global pandemic, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 26, security forces arrested Greisha, an editor at the privately owned news website Youm7, at his home in Giza,…
Malawi journalists threatened over commentary on education policies amid COVID-19
Beginning on August 18, 2020, unidentified social media users in Malawi have threatened journalists Stevie Kondwa Banda and George Kasakula over their commentary on the coronavirus pandemic, according to the journalists, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. On August 18, Facebook and WhatsApp users began sending messages to Banda, a reporter for the privately…
Report: Rio de Janeiro mayor’s office paid employees to harass journalists covering pandemic
New York, September 1, 2020 – Brazilian national TV channel Globo yesterday aired an investigative report that found that the office of Rio de Janeiro Mayor Marcelo Crivella used public funds to pay groups of municipal employees to monitor and obstruct journalists at local hospitals and block news crews from covering the COVID-19 pandemic. “It…
Serbian journalist Jeton Ismaili’s family threatened during break-in
Berlin, August 19, 2020 — Serbian authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate threats made to journalist Jeton Ismaili and his family, and ensure their safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 2 p.m. on August 13, in Veliki Trnovac, southern Serbia, two men broke into Ismaili’s house and, finding only his wife…