Defamation

The Committee to Protect Journalists called on acting Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to respect press freedom in a letter delivered to his office via local courier on Tuesday. The letter expresses concern regarding recent actions taken by Haitian public officials that threaten press freedom and journalist safety in the country and urges Fils-Aimé…

Jakarta, February 26, 2026—Malaysian anti-corruption chief Azam Baki should immediately withdraw his lawsuit against Bloomberg news agency for a report about his alleged shareholdings, and allow journalists to report on matters of public interest without the fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. “Azam Baki should drop his legal action against Bloomberg…

Nairobi, December 10, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ethiopian authorities to immediately release journalist Eyob Shimelis, who has been in detention since December 1 on accusations of spreading false information and defamation. Police arrested Eyob, founder and reporter of TikTok-based Sidama News, which reports on corruption in Ethiopia’s southern Sidama state, at around…

Dakar, September 17, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges authorities in Niger to immediately release Ali Soumana, publishing director of the privately owned Le Courrier newspaper, after Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine complained of defamation. “Ali Soumana’s imprisonment illustrates that press freedom in Niger has declined since last year, when President Abdourahmane Tchiani reintroduced…

Kinshasa, August 7, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to swiftly release Glody Ndaya, director general of the privately owned news site Eventsrdc.com, and freelance commentator Espérant Kasongo.  “DRC authorities should unconditionally release journalists Glody Ndaya and Espérant Kasongo and end the use of laws that have censorious…

Sulaymaniyah, July 30, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled that Kurdish journalist Omed Baroshky will remain in prison for an additional six months following a decision by Iraq’s Duhok misdemeanor court. CPJ reiterates its call for Baroshky’s immediate release. On June 28, 2025, Baroshky’s lawyer, Reving Yaseen, informed CPJ that the court had reactivated a previously suspended…

Berlin, May 22, 2025—Russian authorities must immediately cease their raids on the editorial office of Bars, a regional television broadcaster based in Ivanovo city, and the home of its editor-in-chief, Sergey Kustov, return all equipment and documents seized, and ensure that members of the media platform are not threatened with criminal charges over their work,…

Mexico City, February 12, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Honduran Armed Forces to end its intimidation campaign against journalists following defamation complaints against 12 media outlets in connection with reports on alleged government corruption. “Armed forces should not weaponize the judicial system to silence the press,” said Cristina Zahar, CPJ’s Latin America…

Sulaymaniyah, January 31, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Iraqi Kurdish authorities to release journalist Omed Baroshky after the Duhok criminal court on Thursday sentenced him to six months in prison on charges of defamation. Baroshky’s lawyer, Reving Yaseen, told CPJ via messaging app that the charges stem from a January 23, 2024 Facebook post…

Dakar, August 20, 2024—Cameroonian journalist Samuel Bondjock has had to appear in court more than 30 times in almost 30 months to face criminal defamation charges that could put him in jail — even though the country’s media regulator dismissed the complaint against him in 2022. His next appearance in the capital Yaounde is scheduled…