Exiled Belarusian journalists face terrorism charges; former journalist detained
Paris, May 27, 2022 – Belarus authorities should drop all charges against journalists Stsypan Putsila and Yan Rudzik, immediately release detained former journalist Aliaksandr Lyubyanchuk, and stop labeling media outlets as terrorists or extremists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Thursday, May 26, law enforcement officers in the western Belarusian village of Krivichy…
Pakistan police open multiple criminal investigations into four journalists
New York, May 25, 2022– Pakistan authorities must immediately drop their investigations into journalists Sami Abraham, Arshad Sharif, Sabir Shakir, and Imran Riaz Khan, and refrain from arresting and targeting journalists in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Since May 18, police across Pakistan have filed multiple first information reports…
Ethiopian authorities arrest 11 employees of 4 independent media outlets
New York, May 24, 2022 – Ethiopian authorities should immediately release all recently arrested journalists and media workers and ensure that authorities cease harassing members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Authorities have arrested at least 11 journalists and media workers since May 19 in Amhara state and the capital Addis…
Two exiled Russian journalists charged for disseminating ‘fake’ news on war in Ukraine
Paris, May 24, 2022 – Russian authorities should immediately drop all charges against exiled Russian journalists Ruslan Leviev and Michael Nacke, remove them from the wanted list, and allow independent reporting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Wednesday, May 18, the Basmanny Court in Moscow ordered the arrest…
Nigerian journalist detained after republishing article about Ogun state governor
Abuja, May 20, 2022 — Nigerian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Olamilekan Hammed Adewale Bashiru, who has been arbitrarily detained since May 13, and allow him to work without intimidation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On May 13, Nigerian Department of State Security (DSS) officers arrested Bashiru, founder of the privately…
Georgian pro-opposition journalist Nika Gvaramia sentenced to 3.5 years in prison
New York, May 20, 2022 – Georgian authorities should release journalist Nika Gvaramia and allow him and all other press members in Georgia to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Monday, May 16, the City Court in the Georgian capital Tbilisi convicted Gvaramia, a TV presenter and general director at pro-opposition…
Guatemalan official files criminal suit against 3 journalists under violence against women law
Guatemala City, May 18, 2022 — Guatemalan authorities should drop all charges against three journalists from the independent newspaper elPeriódico and stop using laws intended to protect women from violence to target and intimidate reporters, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On May 13, Judge Anaelsee Ramírez formally notified elPeriódico publisher José Rubén Zamora,…
Two Estonian journalists fined over article on money laundering
On April 14, 2022, a court in Estonia fined journalists Tarmo Vahter and Sulev Vedler, of the weekly newspaper Eesti Ekspress, 1,000 euros (US$1,040) each for an article about alleged money laundering at one of the country’s largest banks, Swedbank, according to a report by Estonian public broadcaster ERR News and the journalists, who communicated…
Proposed Russian legislation threatens to shut down all independent media
Paris, May 18, 2022 – The Russian State Duma should withdraw a draft law that would facilitate the arbitrary shutdown of media outlets and increase the number of journalists prosecuted for sharing information, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. The State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s legislature, is set to consider legislation that…
Senegal broadcasters Sen TV and ZIK FM suspended 72 hours over alleged breach of ethics
On March 31, 2022, Senegal’s official broadcast media regulator, the National Council for Audiovisual Regulation (known by its French acronym, CNRA), announced a 72-hour suspension of all programing by local broadcasters ZIK FM and Sen TV for “repeated breaches of ethics” that violated “principles of objectivity, neutrality, fairness, and balance,” according to a press release…