Radio journalists given hefty fines in Somalia, one still detained
Nairobi, March 3, 2015–A Somali court in Mogadishu on Sunday convicted one journalist of public incitement and two others of publishing false news and imposed harsh fines on them, according to news reports. The journalists are out of prison, but a fourth is still being detained, the reports said.
In fight against extremism, press freedom must not be compromised
In an effort to counter extremists and militant groups who use a mix of violence and social media to spread their message, a summit was held in Washington, D.C. this week to discuss how to counter violent extremism. While there is little denying that these groups must be tackled, an approach must be found that…
CPJ joins call for Syria to release three press freedom defenders from jail
Three years ago Syrian Air Force Intelligence agents raided the office of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression in Damascus, arresting all who were present. While some of those arrested were later released, Mazen Darwish, Hani al-Zitani, and Hussein Ghrer have been imprisoned ever since.
Mission Journal: In Egypt, glimmer of hope in bleak press environment
After a series of high-level meetings to discuss press freedom concerns with Egyptian officials in Cairo this week, it was heartening to hear that journalists Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed had been granted bail after more than 400 days in prison.
Khadija Ismayilova slammed with new charges in Azerbaijan
New York, February 13, 2015–The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office today charged Khadija Ismayilova, an award-winning investigative journalist, with embezzlement, illegal business, tax evasion, and abuse of power, regional and international press reported. The new charges came the same week that news reports said a leading press freedom advocate, Emin Huseynov, has been in hiding in…
CPJ calls on Egypt to free Al-Jazeera journalists
New York, February 11, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egyptian authorities to drop the charges against imprisoned Al-Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, whose retrial is scheduled to begin on Thursday. A court said it had ordered the retrial because of lack of evidence leading to their conviction of “conspiring with…
Cartoonist detained for critical tweets in Malaysia
Bangkok, February 11, 2015–Malaysian authorities arrested a political cartoonist on Tuesday on accusations of sedition, according to news reports. Zulkiflee Awar Ulhaque, also known as Zunar, was detained after posting critical tweets about a court decision to imprison the country’s main opposition leader.
Azerbaijan must immediately release Khadija Ismayilova
New York, February 6, 2015–The Baku Appeals Court today upheld a lower court’s decision to extend the pretrial detention of investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova to March 24, according to regional press reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for Ismayilova’s immediate release.
CPJ welcomes release of Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste
February 1, 2015–Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste, who was serving a seven-year prison sentence in Egypt for “conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood,” was deported today, according to Egypt’s state-run news agency. Greste, who is Australian, was arrested in December 2013 with his colleagues Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.
Azerbaijan continues press crackdown with jail term and arrest extension
New York, January 29, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Azerbaijani authorities to end their crackdown on the press after a five-year sentence was handed to reporter Seymur Hazi, according to news reports. The pre-trial detention of investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova was also extended this week, news reports said.