Veracruz officials say abducted journalist found dead
Mexico City, January 29, 2015–The decapitated body of Mexican journalist José Moisés Sánchez Cerezo was found early Saturday in Veracruz state, according to a statement from the state attorney general’s office. The journalist and owner of the newspaper La Unión had been missing since January 2.
Journalists targeted while covering protests in Yemen
New York, January 28, 2015–Several journalists have been attacked, detained, or their equipment seized in Sana’a in recent days, while at least one journalist has been reported missing, according to news reports and a local press freedom group. The anti-press violations occurred while journalists were covering protests against the Houthi militia’s takeover of the Yemeni…
Kenji Goto’s reporting is voice of humanity in times of atrocity
Kenji Goto, the 47-year-old television journalist held captive by the Islamic State (IS), is not a typical reporter, nor is he typically Japanese. But his courage and commitment to broadcasting humane stories from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones would put him at the pinnacle of his profession anywhere in the world. It…
Colombian photojournalist escapes kidnappers
EDITOR’S NOTE: On January 29, 2015, reports in the Colombian press said Johanny Vargas issued a statement saying he had not been kidnapped and that his disappearance occurred under personal circumstances. CPJ is investigating. Bogotá, January 23, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the abduction of Colombian news photographer Johanny Vargas and calls on authorities…
CPJ calls on Japan to explore all options for journalist held in Syria
New York, January 22, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by a video released on Tuesday by the Islamic State militant group in which the group said it would kill Japanese freelance journalist Kenji Goto and another Japanese citizen, Haruna Yukawa, if it did not receive a US$200 million ransom within three days.
Uneasy alliance: State Department and journalists discuss rise in violence
Doug Frantz spent more than three decades in the journalistic trenches covering wars, overseeing investigative reporting, and directing national security coverage. He did stints at The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. Today Frantz works for the State Department, serving as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. Alarmed by…
In Syria, fewer journalist deaths but danger has never been greater
For the third year in a row, Syria ranks as the deadliest country in the world for the press, research by the Committee to Protect Journalists shows. At first glance, the research offers good news: less journalists were killed, imprisoned and kidnapped this year in Syria than in 2013. A deeper look at the numbers…
Freelancer Luke Somers killed in hostage rescue attempt in Yemen
New York, December 6, 2014–Luke Somers, an American freelance journalist held hostage by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was killed along with fellow hostage Pierre Korkie, a South African teacher, during a failed rescue attempt by U.S. special forces on Saturday morning in Yemen, according to U.S. officials and news reports.