How Nigeria’s cybercrime law is being used to try to muzzle the press
Since Nigeria’s cybercrime act was voted into law in May 2015 authorities have used the accusation of cyber stalking to harass and press charges against at least five bloggers who criticized politicians and businessmen online and through social media.
Mission Journal: Gag orders make Jordan’s journalists skeptical of reform
Sitting uncomfortably in her chair because of a soccer injury, the Jordanian radio host Diala Dabbas said, “I know we are banned from talking about the king, his family, and the divine, but now I am also afraid to talk about anyone else who could be considered a ‘religious symbol’.”
Two Congolese journalists held by police for critical reporting on military
New York, July 15, 2016 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arbitrary detention of two radio journalists in the Ituri district of Oriental Province in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and calls on Congolese officials to release them both immediately.
In Mexico, covering state elections brings risk of threats and violence
As the June 5 elections approached, the anonymous phone calls to Mexican journalist Pedro Canché became more frequent and more ominous. “The Caribbean is a big sea, you’ll never be found,” one said. “I hope you’ve written a will,” said another. A third caller told Canché, “Remember what happened to Rubén Espinosa,” referring to the…
Djibouti expels BBC journalists ahead of elections
Nairobi, April 6, 2016-Djibouti should ensure that journalists can report on presidential elections without harassment or fear of expulsion, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today, condemning Djiboutian authorities’ recent expulsion of a team of BBC journalists from the country.
Tanzanian journalist abducted, beaten for Zanzibar election coverage
Unknown assailants abducted Salma Said, a reporter with the Kiswahili-language Mwananchi (“Citizen”) newspaper and a correspondent for Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle, shortly after the journalist arrived at Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport on March 18, 2016, according to news reports and a statement she made to the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition…