Angolan editor Carlos Alberto sentenced to fine, 2 years in prison over coverage of land deal
New York, September 17, 2021 – Angolan authorities should not contest the appeal of journalist Carlos Alberto against his prison sentence and fine, and should stop pursuing criminal defamation cases against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 13, the Luanda Provincial Court convicted Alberto, editor of the online…
Belarusian journalist Syarhey Hardzievich jailed for insulting president, police
Stockholm, August 12, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Syarhey Hardzievich and cease jailing independent reporters in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 2, the Ivanavskiy District Court in the country’s southwestern Brest region convicted Hardzievich, a correspondent with the independent regional news website Pershy Region,…
Uttar Pradesh police open criminal investigations into 3 Indian journalists
New Delhi, July 8, 2021 — Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh must immediately drop their criminal investigations into journalists Nidhi Suresh, Manoj Shukla, and Yashwant Singh, and cease harassing members of the press over their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 4, police in the state’s Shahjahanpur district…
Angola charges 2 more journalists with criminal defamation over corruption reporting
New York, July 1, 2021—Angolan authorities should drop criminal defamation charges against journalists Coque Mukuta and Escrivão José, stop pursuing such cases against the press, and ensure that journalism is not criminalized, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 17, Angolan judicial authorities charged Coque Mukuta, editor of privately owned news website O Decreto and…
Police investigate The Intercept Brasil editor Leandro Demori over reporting on police killings
Rio de Janeiro, June 21, 2021 – Authorities in Rio de Janeiro should immediately drop a criminal investigation into journalist Leandro Demori, and stop using the threat of criminal charges to intimidate journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 12, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Unit for Repression of Cyber Crimes…
Bulgarian journalist Nickolay Stoyanov faces criminal defamation suits over reporting
Berlin, June 2, 2021 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the filing of three criminal defamation suits against Bulgarian journalist Nickolay Stoyanov, and called on authorities to reform the country’s laws to decriminalize speech. Since February, two subjects of Stoyanov’s reporting for the Bulgarian weekly Capital have filed criminal defamation suits over his…
Hungarian court convicts reporter Júlia Halász on criminal defamation charge
Berlin, May 28, 2021 — Hungarian authorities should not contest journalist Júlia Halász’s appeal of a recent criminal defamation verdict, and should reform the country’s laws to decriminalize speech, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 6, an appellate court in Budapest upheld a lower court’s November 12, 2020, ruling to convict Halász,…
Ecuadorian congress passes ‘digital violence’ bill that threatens press freedom
Miami, May 11, 2021 – Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno should require the country’s legislature to amend a recently passed bill to ensure that it does not threaten press freedom, or should veto that legislation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 6, the National Assembly passed the “Law to Prevent and Combat Digital…
Angolan editor Francisco Rasgado facing prison, $1.5 million damages in criminal defamation case
New York, April 30, 2021 – Angolan authorities should drop the criminal defamation and insult charges against editor Francisco Rasgado and reform the country’s laws to decriminalize journalism, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On April 23, police officers arrested Rasgado, the founder and director of the privately owned newspaper Chela Press, at his…
Journalist Jeremy McDermott faces new criminal defamation suit in Colombia
Bogotá, April 21, 2021 – Colombian authorities should dismiss a criminal defamation lawsuit against investigative journalist Jeremy McDermott, and Colombia should reform its defamation laws to align with international standards, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On April 6, the national attorney general’s office notified McDermott, a British national and the co-director and legal…