Illustration: Gianluca Costantini
Illustration: Gianluca Costantini
The Torch

Journalists arrested in Venezuela, Ethiopia, Senegal, Somaliland, Cameroon, Iran

The Torch is a weekly newsletter from the Committee to Protect Journalists that brings you the latest press freedom and journalist safety news from around the world. Subscribe here.


In the last month, at least 11 journalists and media workers were arrested in Venezuela, Ethiopia, Senegal, Somaliland, Cameroon, and Iran.

This week marks seven years since the disappearance of U.S. freelance photojournalist Austin Tice while reporting in Syria. Read more about his case here.

Meanwhile in southern Haiti, journalist Luckson Saint-Vil survived a shooting attack on August 6 while he was driving after leaving work. At least seven bullets struck the car–which had a large sticker identifying it as a vehicle belonging to his employer, news website Loop Haiti.

On August 8, CPJ and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed a lawsuit against the United States government seeking to obtain documents concerning steps taken by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to investigate leakers and to identify journalists’ sources.

Global press freedom updates

  • CPJ sent a letter to Tanzanian President John Magufuli asking his government to drop charges against freelance journalist Erick Kabendera and provide a public accounting for missing journalist Azory Gwanda. Since Gwanda’s disappearance, CPJ has led a campaign demanding to know #WhereIsAzory?
  • In Algeria, at least five independent news websites have been interrupted as protesters demand political reform for the fifth consecutive month
  • CPJ last week called on Chinese authorities in Shenzhen to release labor journalists
  • Hong Kong protesters assault journalist from China’s state-run Global Times
  • In Yemen, gunmen abduct former journalist Abdel Hafiz al-Samadi

Spotlight

As India sets up military checkpoints and cuts off all communications in Jammu and Kashmir state, journalists are finding it nearly impossible to carry out their work. Earlier this summer, CPJ documented instances of Indian authorities harassing journalists and employees of the Greater Kashmir newspaper.

For journalists, read CPJ’s safety notes on covering civil disorder and digital security.

CPJ is a partner of the fifth edition of Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival and Symposium in Washington, D.C., from October 10-13. The festival features film screenings for the public and a professional symposium for journalists and visual storytellers. Info and passes are available at dxfest.com. CPJ supporters can get 15% off an All Access Pass using the code INVESTIGATIVE19.

What we are reading

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