Released Archives - Committee to Protect Journalists

Chinese journalist Lu Yuyu describes abuse and mistreatment over 4 years in prison

July 30, 2020 1:31 PM EDT

Covering protests in China is a difficult and dangerous task, as Lu Yuyu, the founder of the blog Not News, knows firsthand. Lu ran the outlet with his partner, Li Tingyu, with the goal of evading censorship and publishing information about protests throughout the country. Not News covered demonstrations against land grabs, wage disputes, pollution,…

Journalist Afgan Mukhtarli is seen at a court in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 31, 2017. He was released from prison today. (Reuters/Aziz Karimov)

Journalist Afgan Mukhtarli released from prison in Azerbaijan

March 17, 2020 4:20 PM EDT

New York, March 17, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed relief that Azerbaijani investigative reporter Afgan Mukhtarli was released from prison, and called for Azerbaijan authorities to release all other journalists held for their work.

Investigative journalist Erick Kabendera is seen in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, August 19, 2019. Kabendera was released today from detention but faces large fines. (Reuters/Emmanuel Herman)

Tanzanian journalist Erick Kabendera freed, but faces hefty fines

February 24, 2020 11:25 AM EST

Nairobi, February 24, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed the release of Tanzanian freelance journalist Erick Kabendera but expressed concern about the hefty fines levied against him.

A mosaic of late leader Hugo Chavez and President Nicolas Maduro is seen in Caracas, Venezuela, on December 19, 2019. Venezuelan authorities recently released freelance photojournalist Jesús Medina after 16 months of detention. (AP/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan photojournalist Jesús Medina released after 16 months in prison

January 7, 2020 1:10 PM EST

New York, January 7, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed the release of Venezuelan freelance photojournalist Jesús Medina after more than 16 months of arbitrary detention, and called for Venezuelan authorities to drop all charges against him.

The headquarters of the Cumhuriyet newspaper is seen in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 16, 2017. Five imprisoned staffers of the paper were released following an appeals court decision today. (Reuters/Murad Sezer)

Five staffers of Turkey’s Cumhuriyet newspaper released from jail

September 12, 2019 3:34 PM EDT

Istanbul, September 12, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed a decision by the Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals to overturn a verdict by a lower court and release five former staffers of the Cumhuriyet newspaper who have been imprisoned since April.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (right) casts his ballot on June 22, 2019, at a polling station in Nouakchott during the presidential election. Mauritania freed blogger Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed, who had been imprisoned since 2014, on July 29, 2019. (AFP/Sia Kambou)

Mauritania finally frees blogger Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed

July 30, 2019 11:22 AM EDT

Washington D.C., July 30, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed relief that Mauritanian blogger Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed is free and safely out of the country. Mohamed was released yesterday and left Mauritania, according to news reports, citing his lawyer and official government news sources.

Opposition supporters demonstrate outside the headquarters of the U.N. Development Programme during the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, in Caracas on June 21, 2019. Venezuelan journalist Braulio Jatar was conditionally released from house arrest on July 8, 2019, and barred from the leaving country. (AFP/Cristian Hernandez)

Venezuelan journalist Braulio Jatar conditionally released, barred from leaving country

July 8, 2019 5:45 PM EDT

Miami, July 8, 2019–Venezuelan online and radio journalist Braulio Jatar was formally released from house arrest today after receiving official notification from a criminal court in his home state of Nueva Esparta, according to local media and a statement Jatar gave to media outlets, which was posted on the Twitter account of his sister. As…

Nicaraguan journalists Miguel Mora, left, and Lucía Pineda in Managua, Nicaragua, after their release from prison on June 11, 2019. (CPJ)

CPJ welcomes release of Nicaraguan journalists Miguel Mora and Lucía Pineda

June 11, 2019 12:46 PM EDT

New York, June 11, 2019—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release today of Miguel Mora and Lucía Pineda Ubau, the director and news director of independent digital and cable news channel 100% Noticias; the two journalists had been imprisoned since a police raid on their Managua newsroom on December 21, 2018.

People hold placards reading "Free Luis Carlos" outside the office of Venezuela's attorney general in Caracas on March 12, 2019. The journalist was released later on March 12. (Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins)

Journalist Luis Carlos Díaz released from detention, banned from leaving Venezuela

April 5, 2019 4:14 PM EDT

Venezuelan authorities released radio journalist Luis Carlos Díaz on March 12, 2019, after detaining him for more than 24 hours, according to news reports.

Egyptian photojournalist Shawkan plays with his niece at his home in Cairo after being freed from prison on March 4. As a condition of his release , Shawkan must return to custody every day at 6 p.m. (AFP/Khaled Desouk)

In Egypt, ‘freedom’ ends daily at 6pm for Shawkan and Abdelfattah

April 2, 2019 4:27 PM EDT

Relief over the release of Egyptian journalists Mahmoud Abou Zeid, known as Shawkan, and Alaa Abdelfattah from prison last month has been clouded by the conditions of their freedom. “I am happy to see your joy over my release, but I am unfortunately not free,” Abdelfattah wrote to his large following on social media yesterday.…