Sri Lankan anti-terror authorities interrogate journalist Selvakumar Nilanthan
Washington, D.C., July 14, 2021 — Sri Lankan authorities should stop harassing journalist Selvakumar Nilanthan and halt any further efforts to interrogate him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 12, officers with the Batticaloa district’s Terrorism Investigation Division, a branch of the Sri Lankan police, interrogated Nilanthan, a freelance Tamil journalist and…
Russian police interrogate 3 journalists with investigative outlet Proekt, raid apartments
New York, June 29, 2021 – Russian authorities should immediately drop their investigations into journalists at the investigative news website Proekt, and ensure that the members of the press can work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, Moscow police raided the apartments of Proekt chief editor Roman Badanin, deputy editor Mikhail Rubin,…
Malaysian cartoonist Zunar investigated over criticism of state official
Bangkok, May 17, 2021 – Malaysian authorities must cease their legal harassment of cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, known as Zunar, and drop any pending charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 7, police in the northern state of Kedah summoned Zunar, who publishes his political cartoons on the Malaysiakini news website, and questioned him…
Albanian authorities interrogate publisher of Lapsi.al, demand outlet turn over confidential information
Berlin, May 5, 2021 – Albanian authorities should immediately drop their investigation into Lapsi.al and ensure that all outlets can protect their confidential sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On April 16, the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime in the capital, Tirana, ordered the independent news website Lapsi.al to hand over…
Iraqi Kurdish authorities question Assyrian National Broadcasting manager, shutter outlet
In October 2020, a captain with the Iraqi Kurdish Asayish security forces ordered the closure of the Erbil office of Assyrian National Broadcasting (ANB), according to a statement by the Assyrian Policy Institute, a local rights group, and ANB’s Erbil office manager, William Bnyameen Adam Khlapieel, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. ANB, a…
Algerian journalist Rabah Karèche detained on false news and anti-state allegations
New York, April 20, 2021 – Algerian authorities must immediately set free journalist Rabah Karèche and cease their investigation into his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On April 18, judicial police in the southern city of Tamanrasset arrested Karèche, a correspondent for the daily privately owned newspaper Liberté, after he responded to…
Palestinian journalist Muath Hamed questioned in Spain by alleged Israeli intelligence agent
New York, April 15, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern over an account by Palestinian journalist Muath Hamed that he was summoned by Spanish authorities under false pretenses and questioned about his journalistic activity by someone he believes to be an Israeli intelligence operative. In early February, officers with Spain’s Civil…
Malawi police question journalist Watipaso Mzungu over article calling president ‘a joker’
On April 6, 2021, police in the Malawi capital of Lilongwe interrogated Watipaso Mzungu, the chief reporter of the privately owned news website Nyasa Times, about an article he published on April 2, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and a report by his outlet. In that article, Mzungu quoted…
Russian law enforcement raid apartment, interrogate journalist Roman Anin
New York, April 12, 2021 – Russian authorities should return equipment confiscated from journalist Roman Anin, drop their investigation into his work, and allow him to do his job freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On April 9, Federal Security Service (FSB) agents raided the Moscow apartment of Anin, chief editor and…
Russian journalist Aleksey Mironov interrogated, charged over Navalny protest coverage
Vilnius, Lithuania, March 9, 2021 — Russian authorities should drop all charges against journalist Aleksey Mironov and allow the press to cover protests and other political events without fear, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On March 5, police in Cheboksary, the capital of the central Russian autonomous republic of Chuvashia, detained Mironov, a…