Philippine authorities order Rappler to shut down, block access to 2 news websites
Bangkok, June 29, 2022 – Philippine authorities should immediately reverse their order to shut down the independent Rappler news organization and lift their blockages of the local Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly’s news websites, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. “Philippine authorities must reverse their order to close Rappler and to block access to independent news websites Bulatalat and Pinoy Weekly, and cease fabricating spurious…
Indian police investigate 2 journalists following critical social media posts
New York, June 16, 2022 – Indian police must immediately drop investigations into journalists Saba Naqvi and Mohammed Zubair in response to their social media posts criticizing right-wing Hindu politics and activists, and allow all members of the press to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On June 3, police in the…
Turkish legislators introduce disinformation bill, seek more online control
Istanbul, June 1, 2022 – Turkish lawmakers must reject a proposed law aimed at combating disinformation, as it is vague and will serve as an additional tool for prosecuting journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On May 27, lawmakers from Turkey’s governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and their ally, the Nationalist Movement…
‘Disastrous for press freedom’: What Russia’s goal of an isolated internet means for journalists
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presents a danger not only for reporters operating in the war zone. The campaign could also pose a broader threat to press freedoms and other civil liberties if it brings the Kremlin closer to its dream of creating a domestically controlled internet. Russia’s internet regulator, Rozkomnadzor, has long been able to…
CPJ joins call for Cambodia government to revoke plans to establish an internet gateway
On May 16, the Committee to Protect Journalists joined more than 30 free expression, technology, and human rights groups in a statement calling on the government of Cambodia to revoke a decree that would establish a gateway capable of monitoring all internet traffic in and out of Cambodia. The Sub-Decree on the Establishment of the…
Kashmir media at a ‘breaking point’ amid rising number of journalist detentions
Sajad Gul’s mother had prepared his favorite dishes as she anxiously awaited his return home. The Kashmiri journalist, who had been granted bail the day before, on January 15, 2022, was to be released following his arrest earlier that month in a criminal conspiracy case, according to a journalist friend who spoke on condition of…
Emily Bell: Tech companies must ‘wake up’ to their role in Ukraine war disinformation
As Russia wages an information war alongside its physical war in Ukraine, tech companies have responded with measures small and large, from reducing the visibility of propagandistic social media posts to blocking Russian state-affiliated media, to going beyond international sanctions by pulling out of the country altogether. Meanwhile, Ukrainian journalists, citizens, and officials have used…
Romanian investigative journalist Emilia Șercan targeted by smear campaign
Berlin, April 8, 2022 — Romanian authorities must conduct an independent investigation into the harassment and smear campaign against investigative journalist Emilia Șercan, investigate her claims that state officials participated in the campaign, and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Since January 18, when Șercan published an article alleging…
How Venezuela’s government uses private internet providers to restrict access to the news
After seven years of painstakingly building up its audience, Crónica Uno, one of the only high-quality news websites that caters to poor and working-class Venezuelans, was recording up to 15,000 unique page views per day. But after private internet service providers (ISPs) teamed up with Venezuela’s authoritarian government in February to block Crónica Uno and…
CPJ calls on Sri Lankan government to respect press freedom amid nationwide state of emergency
New York, April 4, 2022 – The government of Sri Lanka should respect press freedom, ensure unrestricted access to social media and communication platforms, and allow the media to work freely and independently during a nationwide state of emergency, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On Friday, April 1, the Sri Lankan government declared…