Pakistani journalists Jameel Farooqui and Ilyas Samoo arrested; Farooqui remains in detention
New York, August 23, 2022–Pakistan authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Jameel Farooqui, and cease harassing him and journalist Ilyas Samoo in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On August 19, police in southeastern Sindh province’s Thatta district arrested Samoo, a reporter for the privately owned daily newspaper Awami…
Turkish court rejects request to release 15 journalists from pretrial detention
Istanbul, August 22, 2022 – In response to news reports that a Turkish court in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır rejected appeals to release 15 journalists and one media worker from pretrial detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “We are deeply disappointed by the court’s decision to reject a…
Cambodian prime minister’s bodyguards detain 5 journalists covering environmental issues
Bangkok, August 22, 2022 – Cambodian authorities must thoroughly investigate the recent detention and harassment of five journalists by members of the prime minister’s security team, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On August 16, Prime Minister Hun Sen’s bodyguards detained five journalists with the independent news outlet…
Taliban intelligence agents detain American filmmaker Ivor Shearer, Afghan producer Faizullah Faizbakhsh in Kabul
New York, August 19, 2022 – Taliban authorities must immediately release American journalist and independent filmmaker Ivor Shearer and Afghan producer Faizullah Faizbakhsh, and cease detaining journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On August 17, Shearer and Faizbakhsh were filming in the Sherpur area of District 10 in Kabul–where a U.S. drone strike…
Nigerian police arrest newspaper distributor in place of journalist in hiding
Abuja, August 19, 2022—Authorities in Nigeria should immediately drop any criminal libel investigation into journalist Ifreke Nseowo or TheMail Newspaper and pay damages to the newspaper distributor whom they illegally detained to compel Nseowo to appear for questioning, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Friday, August 12, police officers in the southern Akwa Ibom State…
Jordanian journalist Adnan Al-Rousan arrested over critical columns posted on Facebook
Beirut, August 18, 2022 – Jordanian authorities should immediately release journalist Adnan Al-Rousan and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Monday, August 15, seven unidentified men, including two in military uniform, arrested Al-Rousan, a prominent Jordanian columnist who writes critically about the government on Facebook, from his home in…
VOA correspondent briefly detained covering attempted election protest in Angola
New York, August 17, 2022 — In response to news reports that Angola police detained Coque Mukuta, a correspondent for U.S. Congress-funded Voice of America, for three hours while he was on assignment in the capital Luanda on Wednesday to cover a protest against electoral irregularities ahead of the scheduled August 24 election, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the…
Congolese journalist Dimanche Kamate arrested, detained over broadcast about Rwanda, protests
Kinshasa, August 17, 2022—Congolese authorities should stop intimidating journalists covering conflict in the country’s east and allow the press to freely cover events of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Friday, August 12, officers with the national police arrested and detained for several hours Dimanche Kamate, editor in chief of the…
Two Somaliland journalists arrested while covering protests
Nairobi, August 17, 2022 — Authorities in the breakaway region of Somaliland should unconditionally release journalists Ahmed-Zaki Ibrahim Mohamood and Abdinasir Abdi Nour and refrain from prosecuting the press for covering matters of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Thursday, August 11, police arrested Horyaal 24 TV broadcast reporter Ahmed-Zaki and…
Security forces in Aden detain Yemeni journalist Ahmed Maher
Update: On May 28, 2024, the Aden-based Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) sentenced journalist Ahmad Maher to four years in prison on charges of spreading false information, misleading news, and forging identity documents. Maher spent almost two years in detention before his sentencing. New York, August 16, 2022 – Yemeni forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council should immediately release freelance…