CPJ calls on Egypt to lift travel ban on blogger Esraa Abdel Fattah
New York, December 23, 2016–Egypt must lift the travel ban imposed on Esraa Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian blogger, columnist, and social media activist, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Abdel Fattah has been under a travel ban for nearly two years, alongside other bloggers and civil society activists who authorities have accused of illegally…
Malaysian authorities repeatedly arrest, harass award-winning cartoonist Zunar
Bangkok, December 19, 2016–Malaysian authorities should drop all criminal charges against editorial cartoonist Zulikiflee Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, and stop harassing him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police arrested Zunar on December 17, the cartoonist said in a statement, the latest incident in authorities’ relentless campaign of judicial and police harassment…
Chad police close radio station, detain manager
Police in Kelo, some 400 kilometres (249 miles) south of the capital N’Djamena, on November 14, 2016, arrested Edmond Oueidigue Kandi, the manager of the community radio station Radio Bargadje, and ordered the station closed, Kandi told the Committee to Protect Journalists. According to Kandi and media reports, local administrative authorities ordered the station closed…
Tanzania police raid popular website’s office in effort to learn users’ identities
Nairobi, December 14, 2016–Tanzanian security forces should immediately and unconditionally release Maxence Melo, the co-founder of popular online discussion portal Jamii Forum, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police raided the website’s office in the capital Dar es Salaam today, after detaining Melo yesterday.
Security risk for sources as US border agents stop and search journalists
French-American photojournalist Kim Badawi did not go home to Texas for Thanksgiving this year. He didn’t want to risk a repeat of November last year, when he says U.S. border security detained him at Miami airport and interrogated him in minute detail about his private life, political views, and journalistic sources.
Radio journalist arrested, beaten in Turkmenistan
New York, December 6, 2016–Turkmen authorities should release radio journalist Khudayberdy Allashov and cease retaliating against journalists with trumped-up charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police in the Dashoguz region of northern Turkmenistan on December 3 arrested Allashov, a contributor to the U.S.-government-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Turkmen service, and charged him…
Zambian police arrest five radio journalists
Police on November 15, 2016, detained five journalists who work for Zambia’s private Mano Radio station, before releasing them roughly 17 hours later, pending trial on insult charges, according to a written account the station emailed to the Committee to Protect Journalists on November 18, and a report on the news website Lusaka Times.
Malaysia intensifies harassment of award-winning cartoonist
Bangkok, November 28, 2016―Malaysian authorities should drop all criminal charges against award-winning cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, popularly known as Zunar, and cease harassing him for his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Leaders of Egypt’s Journalists Syndicate sentenced to 2 years in jail
New York, November 19, 2016 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the conviction of three leaders of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate today on charges of harboring a fugitive. A Cairo court sentenced Yehia Qallash, the chairman of the syndicate, and board members Khaled al-Balshy and Gamal Abdel Rahim to two years in prison, according…