CPJ condemns death threats against Elena Milashina, calls for investigation
New York, June 11, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns death threats issued against Elena Milashina, an award-winning investigative reporter for the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and Moscow correspondent for CPJ, and calls on authorities to ensure her safety.
Colombia releases suspect in attack on journalist Jineth Bedoya
Bogotá, June 4, 2015–The Colombian attorney general’s office announced Monday that charges have been dropped against Alejandro Cárdenas Orozco, a paramilitary fighter who confessed to taking part in the 2000 kidnapping of Colombian journalist Jineth Bedoya, who was also raped in the attack, according to news reports. Cárdenas later retracted his confession, according to reports.
CPJ urges Nigerian president to prioritize press freedom
President Buhari: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to congratulate you on your recent victory in Nigeria’s presidential election. As Nigeria prepares to enter a new chapter in its history, we urge you and your administration to take steps to ensure that journalists are able to work freely and openly in the country without fear of reprisal of any form.
Colombian president tells CPJ he will prioritize combating impunity in anti-press attacks
Bogotá, Colombia, May 27, 2015–In a meeting on Tuesday with the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Colombian press freedom group Foundation for a Free Press, or FLIP, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos pledged to prioritize combating impunity in attacks against the press.
Second journalist killed in Brazil in less than a week
New York, May 26, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of Brazilian radio journalist Djalma Santos da Conceição and calls on authorities to investigate and bring all those responsible to justice. Santos da Conceição’s body was found with signs of torture on Saturday in the northeast state of Bahia, one day after the…
Mission Journal: In Nepal, finding solutions to better protect press
The devastation caused by the earthquakes in Nepal is a reminder of the indispensable role played by relief workers, medical teams, and other key actors on the front lines. Among them are many journalists who, on the most basic level, serve as witness to those affected and share their stories with the world.
Gunmen kill a radio journalist in Somalia
Nairobi, May 1, 2015–Unidentified armed men on Wednesday night shot dead Somali journalist Daud Ali Omar at his home, according to local journalists and news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Somali authorities to identify the motive in the murder and apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators. The gunmen broke into Daud’s house at…
Between conflict and stability: Journalists in Pakistan and Mexico cope with everyday threats
By Daniel DeFraia The Pakistani journalist knew the risk, but he wrote the story about the militants anyway. Years earlier he had been shot, after reporting on another taboo subject, but for him the freelance work was thrilling, even after he had to marry his girlfriend in secret and flee Pakistan without her–and still now,…
Media wars create information vacuum in Ukraine
More than a year after the December 2013 mass attack against journalists at Kiev’s Maidan Square, which coincided with the Ukrainian police’s violent dispersal of protesters rallying against the policies of then-President Viktor Yanukovych, the press in the beleaguered nation continue the battle for survival. The biggest problem remains impunity in attacks against journalists.
Mastermind convicted in 2009 murder of Nepali journalist Uma Singh
Kathmandu, April 23, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the conviction and sentencing on Wednesday of the mastermind in the 2009 murder of journalist Uma Singh. A court in the district of Dhanusha convicted Umesh Yadav of ordering Singh’s murder and sentenced him to life in prison, according to local news reports.