South African court’s gag on amaBhungane raises fears for investigative journalism, sources
New York, June 7, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday expressed concern that a South African high court judge’s temporary injunction, if made final, against the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism, a nonprofit investigative outlet, could imperil the country’s investigative journalism, journalists’ confidential sources, and whistleblowers. In April, amaBhungane published a series of articles…
Bulgarian authorities question reporter and editor about sources
Berlin, December 20, 2022—Bulgarian authorities must stop harassing journalists Alexei Lazarov and Desislava Nikolova, and cease attempting to investigate their sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Prosecutors summoned Lazarov and Nikolova for questioning on December 12 regarding allegations of drug markups in state-owned hospitals that were published in the weekly newspaper Capital, according…
The legal battle to protect slain reporter Jeff German’s electronic devices–and why it’s so concerning for press freedom
A district judge last week barred police from accessing electronic devices used by Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German before his fatal stabbing in September – but only for a while. The measure was a preliminary injunction against searching German’s cellphone, hard drive, and computers, but a further ruling expected this week could authorize a…
CPJ joins call for Maldives to repeal or amend provision of Evidence Act
On July 25, 2022, the Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine press freedom, freedom of expression, and human rights groups in a statement calling on the Maldives government to repeal or amend a provision of the recently ratified Evidence Act, which allows courts to compel journalists and media organizations to reveal their sources on the…
CPJ calls on authorities in Botswana to reject bill on warrantless surveillance
New York, January 31, 2022–Botswana authorities should retract or reform a bill that could help police and other investigators intercept journalists’ communications without oversight, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. The Criminal Procedure and Evidence (Controlled Investigation) Bill was published in the government gazette on January 12, according to a press release by local…
CPJ cautiously welcomes UK court decision on Assange, says US must now drop charges
New York, January 24, 2022 – The Committee to Protect Journalists cautiously welcomed a British court’s decision on Monday allowing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to apply to appeal against a lower court’s ruling that he could be extradited to face criminal charges in the United States. “We are glad that Julian Assange will be allowed…
UK ruling on extraditing Wikileaks’ Assange ‘seriously damages journalism’
New York, December 10, 2021–The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed deep disappointment at a British court’s decision to uphold the United States Justice Department’s appeal to extradite Julian Assange, which allows the U.S. to continue pursuing the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder, according to news reports. “On the same day the Nobel Peace Prize…
Digital and Physical Safety: Protecting Confidential Sources
Protecting confidential sources is a cornerstone of ethical reporting. When journalists have agreed to protect someone’s identity, they should make every effort to do so, especially in circumstances where a source could be arrested or harmed. Maintaining confidentiality has become more challenging due to increasing levels of digital surveillance and monitoring by authorities and the…
Botswana police use Israeli Cellebrite tech to search another journalist’s phone
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe was not expecting security agents to appear at her home in a village outside Gaborone, Botswana’s capital, in July 2019, she told CPJ in a recent interview. But they didn’t come to arrest or charge her, she recalled – they came for her devices, hunting for the source for an article published by…