Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor targeted in criminal investigation of protest
On March 3, 2022, police in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, opened an investigation into Asad Ali Toor for allegedly leading an unauthorized protest earlier that week, according to news reports and Toor, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview. On March 4, the Islamabad High Court ordered police not to arrest anyone named in the…
Spanish court orders investigation of 4 journalists over testimony in police abuse case
Berlin, February 23, 2022 – Spanish authorities should drop their criminal investigations into four journalists over their coverage of alleged police abuses, and should ensure that members of the press do not face criminal charges over their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On February 16, the Provincial Court of Madrid acquitted a…
Kyrgyzstan authorities investigate Kaktus.media for alleged ‘war propaganda’
Stockholm, February 2, 2022 – Kyrgyzstan authorities should drop their criminal investigation into independent news website Kaktus.media and allow all media outlets to operate freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, the prosecutor general’s office announced a criminal investigation into Kaktus.media over its publication of an article, originally published by a Tajik…
Greek journalists summoned over criminal investigation into corruption reporting
Berlin, January 26, 2022 – Greek authorities should drop their investigations into journalists Kostas Vaxevanis and Ioanna Papadakou and ensure that members of the press do not face criminal charges over their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Prosecutors with the Special High Court in Athens recently summoned Vaxevanis, publisher and reporter with…
Finland charges 3 investigative journalists with revealing state secrets
Berlin, November 3, 2021 – Finnish authorities should drop all criminal charges filed against three journalists working for the daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, and ensure that members of the press can cover sensitive issues without facing government retaliation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 29, Finnish prosecutors announced that three Helsingin Sanomat…
Bangladesh authorities order banks to disclose information on 12 journalists’ accounts
Washington, D.C., September 28, 2021 — Bangladesh authorities must immediately drop their investigations into the bank accounts of 12 members of the press and commit to allowing the media to operate freely and independently, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 11, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, a government agency responsible for investigating…
Sri Lankan authorities interrogate journalist Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran
On July 4, 2021, police officers in Batticaloa, in eastern Sri Lanka, visited the home of journalist Punniyamoorthy Sasikaran and told his mother that he was under a preliminary investigation for suspected terrorism, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview. The officers summoned Sasikaran, a freelance Tamil journalist and treasurer…
Pakistan authorities detain, investigate journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat
Washington, D.C., August 10, 2021 — Pakistan authorities should immediately drop their investigations into journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat, and cease harassing members of the press in retaliation for their coverage of public institutions, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 7, officers with the Federal Investigation Agency arrested Mir, CEO of…
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…
Bangladesh authorities investigate 3 journalists under Digital Security Act
Washington, D.C., July 12, 2021 — Bangladesh authorities should immediately drop their investigations into journalists Tanvir Hasan Tanu, Rahim Shuvo, and Abdul Latif Litu, and scrap the country’s draconian Digital Security Act, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 10, police in the northeast district of Thakurgaon opened Digital Security Act investigations into…