Kidnapped

85 results arranged by date

Supporters of Kenji Goto gather outside the Japanese prime minister's Tokyo residence at a rally for the journalist, who is being held hostage by the Islamic State. (Reuters/Yuya Shino)

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…

Read More ›

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…

Read More ›

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.

Read More ›

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…

Read More ›

An activist holds a picture of José Moisés Sánchez Cerezo, a Mexican journalist who was kidnapped in the state of Veracruz. (Reuters/Tomas Bravo)

Journalist kidnapped from his home in Mexico

New York, January 5, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the abduction of Mexican journalist José Moisés Sánchez Cerezo and calls on authorities to do their utmost to find him and apprehend the perpetrators.

Read More ›

A vigil for victims of the Syrian conflict is held in Rome as the civil war enters its third year. Since 2011, 79 journalists have been killed while covering the war. (AFP/Tiziana Fabi)

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…

Read More ›

Two Rudaw journalists reported kidnapped in Syria

New York, December 17, 2014–Two freelance journalists working for the Kurdish media network Rudaw TV were abducted in Syria on Monday, according to a statement released today by the outlet and reports from regional press freedom groups.

Read More ›

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.

Read More ›

CPJ calls for release of U.S. journalist held in Yemen

New York, December 4, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of U.S. freelance journalist Luke Somers, who has been held hostage in Yemen for more than a year. Following a video released on Wednesday that showed the journalist pleading for his life, U.S. government officials issued press releases today publicly acknowledging…

Read More ›

In Reynosa, Mexico, suspected murder of social media user spreads fear

On October 16, photographs of a woman were posted on the Twitter account @Miut3 with an ominous message. “My life has come to an end today. Don’t put your families at risk like I did,” the tweet read. “I’m sorry. I died for nothing. They are closer on our trail than you think.”

Read More ›