Don’t let al-Sisi’s government have Egypt’s last word
“I want to send a message to the world; there is no need for defending honorable Egyptian journalists.” That’s what Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb said on World Press Freedom Day this year, speaking at Al-Ahram state newspaper. The same day, Al-Jazeera English Bureau Chief Mohamed Fahmy was roaring in an Egyptian court: “I want…
Ethiopian court sentences journalist to three years in prison
Nairobi, October 27, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today’s sentencing of Ethiopian journalist Temesghen Desalegn to three years’ imprisonment on charges of defamation and incitement that date back to 2012. A court in Addis Ababa, the capital, convicted Temesgen on October 13 in connection with opinion pieces published in the now-defunct Feteh news magazine,…
Two French journalists convicted, sentenced in Indonesia
New York, October 24, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today’s conviction and sentencing to prison of French documentary filmmakers Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat on charges of breaking immigration laws in Indonesia. The two were sentenced to two months and 15 days in prison and are expected to be released next week because of…
Journalist killed in military custody in Burma
Bangkok, October 24, 2014–Burma’s army shot dead freelance reporter Aung Kyaw Naing while the journalist was in military custody, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the journalist’s killing, the first in Burma since 2007.
Journalist detained for nearly a month in Burma
Bangkok, October 22, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Burmese authorities to immediately release a freelance journalist who has been in official custody for nearly a month after covering armed clashes between ethnic rebels and government forces in southeastern Burma.
Five journalists sentenced to jail in Burma
Bangkok, October 17, 2014–Three journalists and two publishers were sentenced on Thursday to two years in prison on anti-state charges in Burma, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the harsh verdict and calls for their release on appeal.
Chinese reporter arrested in connection with Hong Kong protest coverage
New York, October 14, 2014–The arrest of a Chinese reporter working for a German weekly is cause for alarm and signals a threat to other Chinese journalists working for foreign media in China, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Zhang Miao, an arts reporter for the German magazine Die Zeit, has been in jail…
Turkey’s reform fatigue, the EU’s enlargement fatigue, and press freedom
“The European Commission expressed serious concern about developments in the area of rule of law and fundamental rights (in Turkey).” It is progress report season in Brussels. As every year in early October, the commissioner in charge of enlargement unveils documents that judge the progress of all candidate countries in adopting European Union (EU) laws…
As al-Sisi promises freedom of speech, TV host Youssef is put under investigation
The Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was given a great platform for his country last week, with a speech at the United Nation’s General Assembly in which he said that his “new Egypt” would “guarantee freedom of speech,” and his first ever meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama.