Kazakh police detain, harass editor of independent weekly Uralskaya Nedelya
New York, February 3, 2021 — Kazakhstan authorities should immediately cease harassing journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov and allow him to work freely and without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On February 1, police in the Abai district of the western city of Uralsk summoned Akhmedyarov, chief editor of independent weekly newspaper…
Russian police detain or harass more than 100 journalists amid January 31 pro-Navalny protests
New York, February 2, 2021 – Russian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all journalists detained during recent protests, and allow members of the press to cover political demonstrations without fear, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. During nationwide protests by supporters of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny on January 31, as well as…
Indian police arrest, investigate journalists covering farmers’ protests
New Delhi, February 1, 2021 – Indian authorities must immediately release journalist Mandeep Punia and refrain from detaining and investigating members of the press covering protests, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On the evening of January 30, Delhi police detained Mandeep Punia, a contributor to The Caravan magazine and Junputh news website, and…
Iraqi Kurdish security forces arrest photojournalist Qaraman Shukri
New York, February 1, 2021 – Iraqi Kurdish security forces should immediately release photojournalist Qaraman Shukri and cease harassing members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 8:30 a.m. on January 27, Asayish security forces affiliated with Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling Democratic Party of Kurdistan arrested Shukri at his home in…
Ghanaian soldiers detain 3 Joy News employees, delete reporting footage
Abuja, January 26, 2021 – Ghanaian authorities must investigate the recent detention of three Joy News staffers, and hold to account the soldiers who interfered with their reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 16, a group of about 30 military officers at the Apamprama forest reserve in Ghana’s southern Ashanti region…
Russian police detain, beat, and harass dozens of journalists covering pro-Navalny protests
New York, January 26, 2021 – Russian authorities should allow journalists to cover protests freely and without fear, and refrain from attacking or detaining members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 23, police in at least 20 cities throughout Russia detained, beat, and otherwise interfered with the work of…
Indian authorities in Manipur investigate editors for sedition, conspiracy, terrorism
New Delhi, January 22, 2021 – Authorities in the Indian state of Manipur should drop their investigations into The Frontier Manipur and its editors, Sadokpam Dhiren and Paojel Chaoba, and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 17, police in Imphal, the Manipur state capital, summoned and detained…
Comorian journalists detained, accused of participating in protests
New York, January 21, 2020 – Comorian authorities should immediately cease their legal harassment of journalists Oubeidillah Mchangama and Ali Abdou Mkouboi, and permit them and FBCK FM to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 7, members of the Comorian gendarmerie arrested Mchangama, a reporter with the Facebook-based news outlet…
Journalist Kilwe Adan Farah detained, accused of murder in Somali state of Puntland
Nairobi, January 20, 2021 – Authorities in the semi-autonomous Somali state of Puntland should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Kilwe Adan Farah, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 27, 2020, intelligence personnel in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, detained Kilwe, who runs the Facebook-based news outlet Kilwe Media Inc, according to posts…
Egyptian journalists Hamdi al-Zaeem and Ahmed Khalifa detained on false news and terrorism charges
New York, January 19, 2021 – Egyptian authorities should immediately release journalists Hamdi al-Zaeem and Ahmed Khalifa and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 4, authorities arrested al-Zaeem, a freelance photojournalist and documentary film producer, after raiding his home in Cairo, according to news reports and the…