DRC authorities cut internet and broadcast signals after election
New York, January 3, 2019–Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo should immediately take steps to ensure citizens have access to the internet and news outlets as the country awaits the results of its election, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The government has cut access to internet and SMS services, blocked the signals…
Journalist arrested, others beaten during Bangladesh elections
New York, January 2, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Bangladeshi authorities to immediately release Hedait Hossain Molla, a reporter who was arrested in Khulna yesterday in relation to his election coverage, according to news reports.
Ahead of inauguration day, Brazilian media braces for Bolsonaro
Long before one of their photographers was harassed on election night in Brazil, the editors at Fortaleza newspaper O Povo were meeting with their readers and staff to discuss the increasingly polarized environment and how to deal with it.
In Mexico, ‘narcopolitics’ is a deadly mix for journalists covering crime and politics
It was 3 p.m. on January 13 when Carlos Domínguez Rodríguez stopped at a traffic light in Nuevo Laredo, in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Two men approached the car of the well-known newspaper columnist, opened the driver’s door, and stabbed him more than 20 times in front of his family.
CPJ joins call for Brazilian presidential candidates to condemn threats against journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined five other rights organizations to call on Brazilian presidential candidates to denounce the threats and violence against journalists covering the electoral campaign, and urge their supports to stop harassing reporters.
In India, party activists beat TV journalists during live broadcast of show
New Delhi, August 29, 2018–A group of people suspected of being supporters of the far-right Shiv Sena political party attacked several journalists including the producer, Rahul Zori, during a live broadcast of a show for the privately owned broadcaster TV9 Marathi. The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Maharashtra police to thoroughly investigate the…
Journalists in Bangladesh attacked and beaten covering local election
New York, August 1, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned violence against journalists covering local elections in the Bangladesh city of Sylhet, and called on authorities to identify and hold the attackers to account. At least four journalists were beaten, allegedly by police and supporters of the ruling Awami League party, according to news…
Silence from judiciary over media attacks increases self-censorship, Pakistan’s journalists say
When it comes to the military and the judiciary, Pakistan’s journalists are “between a rock and a hard place,” Zohra Yusuf, of the independent non-profit Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, told CPJ. In recent months the judiciary, which has a history of siding with Pakistan’s powerful military, has remained largely silent amid attempts to censor…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering elections in Mexico
On July 1, 2018, Mexico will hold elections for the presidency and congress, as over 3,400 local and state offices in 30 of Mexico’s 32 states are contested. More than 100 candidates and incumbents have been killed during the electoral cycle, according to the privately owned Mexico City-based consultancy company, Etellekt, which is monitoring electoral…
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of June 17
Ahead of election, OSCE highlights restrictive media environment In a report on Turkey’s elections this month, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said, “The media landscape is dominated by outlets whose owners are considered affiliated with the government or depend on public contracts.” The report added that Turkey’s constitution “Contains a general…