Pardoned

7 results arranged by date

Journalist Dzmitry Luksha was among 30 prisoners pardoned on August 16 by President Aleksandr Lukashenko, pictured here in January 27 near the village of Zaitsevo, Leningrad region. (Photo: Olga Maltseva/Pool via Reuters)

Belarusian journalist Dzmitry Luksha released following presidential pardon

New York, August 26, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Belarusian journalist Dzmitry Luksha, who received a presidential pardon after serving 30 months of a four-year prison sentence. “Belarusian journalist Dzmitry Luksha unjustly served 2 ½ years behind bars when he shouldn’t have spent a day in jail,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program…

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CPJ welcomes pardon for jailed Georgian journalist Nika Gvaramia

New York, June 22, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday welcomed news that journalist Nika Gvaramia was pardoned by Georgia’s President Salome Zurabishvili. Gvaramia, founder and director of independent broadcaster Mtavari Arkhi, had been serving a 3.5-year prison sentence since May 2022 for alleged abuse of office during his previous role as director of…

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CPJ welcomes pardon of Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich, calls for release of others in jail

Paris, May 22, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday welcomed Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s pardon of journalist Raman Pratasevich and called for all other members of the press imprisoned for their work to be released immediately.  “This decision should not overshadow the country’s shameful record on press freedom,” said Carlos Martinez de la Serna,…

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Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega was released on February 14, 2018, after serving nearly seven years in prison. (Befekadu Hailu)

Ethiopian journalists Eskinder Nega and Woubshet Taye released from prison

New York, February 14, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes news that Ethiopian journalists Eskinder Nega and Woubshet Taye are free from prison after each served nearly seven years.

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Zambian journalist released from prison

Johannesburg, April 25, 2017–The unconditional release of Zambian journalist Chanda Chimba is a welcome end to the injustice he has suffered, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Chimba, who has advanced prostate cancer, was released on April 21 following a pardon on humanitarian grounds from Zambian President Edgar Lungu, Zambian media reported and Chimba’s…

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Dutch journalist Okke Ornstein, pictured in a prison compound in Panama, was jailed for criminal defamation. (CPJ/Jan-Albert Hootsen)

Dutch journalist Okke Ornstein due to be freed from Panama prison

New York, December 20, 2016–Dutch journalist Okke Ornstein is due to be released unconditionally from a Panamanian prison by December 23, his lawyer Manuel Succari told CPJ today. The journalist was named in a list published by the government today of people whose sentences were reduced as part of a presidential pardon. Ornstein was arrested…

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Jama with his two sons. (Horseed Media)

CPJ welcomes release of Puntland journalist

New York, November 8, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the presidential pardon and release today of radio journalist Abdifatah Jama, who was imprisoned in August for airing an interview with an Islamist rebel leader in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland. CPJ had repeatedly called for his release.Jama, deputy director of Horseed Media, had begun serving a six-year prison sentence after being…

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