On 2-year anniversary of military coup, Myanmar’s junta must stop persecuting journalists
Bangkok, February 1, 2023 — On the second anniversary of the military’s seizure of power in Myanmar, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement demanding the junta regime immediately and unconditionally release all of the journalists targeted in the post-coup crackdown: “Over the last two years, press freedom conditions in Myanmar have deteriorated…
Nigerian journalist Agba Jalingo charged with cybercrime over report on governor’s relative
Abuja, January 26, 2023 – Authorities in Nigeria should swiftly drop the cybercrime charges against journalist Agba Jalingo, cease harassing him for his work, and reform the country’s laws to ensure journalism is not criminalized, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On December 8, 2022, authorities in the southern Nigerian state of Cross River…
Belarusian journalists Dzmitry Harbunou and Pavel Padabed detained on undisclosed charges
Paris, January 26, 2023 — Belarusian authorities should publicly disclose the reason for the arrests of journalists Dzmitry Harbunou and Pavel Padabed and ensure that no journalists are jailed for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On January 18, Harbunou, a blogger based in the western city of Brest, appeared in a video…
Bangladeshi journalist Raghunath Kha arrested, allegedly electrocuted in custody
New York, January 25, 2023 – Bangladesh authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Raghunath Kha and investigate allegations that he was electrocuted and beaten in police custody, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. At around 11 a.m. on Monday, January 23, plainclothes police officers detained Kha, a correspondent for the privately owned broadcaster…
Russia orders journalists Ilya Makarov and Maksim Litvinchuk detained for 15 days
Paris, January 25, 2023 — Russian authorities should immediately release journalists Ilya Makarov and Maksim Litvinchuk and let all members of the press work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On January 19, police in Moscow detained the two reporters for the independent online outlet Sota.Vision while they reported on a local government…
Egyptian journalist Ahmed Montasir detained since October
New York, January 25, 2023 – Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Ahmed Montasir and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On October 9, 2022, authorities in Cairo arrested Montasir, a freelance reporter who contributes to the independent news websites Ida2at and Al-Manassa, according to the independent…
Afghan journalist Khairullah Parhar detained by Taliban since January 9
New York, January 23, 2023 – Taliban authorities must immediately release Afghan journalist Khairullah Parhar and stop arbitrarily detaining members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On January 9, agents with the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence detained Parhar, a reporter and chair of the Nangarhar Sports Journalists Association in Kabul,…
Turkish journalist Sezgin Kartal arrested for alleged PKK membership
Istanbul, January 18, 2023 – Turkish authorities should immediately release journalist Sezgin Kartal and stop filing terrorism charges against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On January 10, police raided Kartal’s Istanbul home and took him into custody; on January 13, a local court ordered him to be held in…
Authorities in Tigray release 3 journalists, 2 others remain in detention
Nairobi, January 17, 2023—In response to news reports that authorities in the northern Ethiopian state of Tigray recently released three employees of the broadcaster Tigrai TV but continue to hold two more in custody, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for the remaining staffers’ release: “While it is a great relief…
Pakistani journalist Shahid Aslam arrested in leak investigation
New York, January 17, 2023 – Pakistan authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Shahid Aslam and allow the media to freely and independently report on military officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On January 13, Federal Investigation Agency officers in Lahore arrested Aslam, a special correspondent for the privately owned broadcaster BOL…