CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler was denied entry to Pakistan on October 16. (CPJ)
CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler was denied entry to Pakistan on October 16. (CPJ)
The Torch

CPJ’s Butler denied entry to Pakistan to attend a human rights conference

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.

On Wednesday, Pakistani immigration authorities denied entry to CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler, citing a blacklist managed by the Ministry of Interior.

On Sunday, a Turkish air strike hit a civilian convoy in northern Syria, killing two Syrian Kurdish journalists. Saad Ahmed, a reporter for the local news agency Hawar News, died shortly after the strike, and Mohammed Hussein Rasho, a reporter and cameraman for Cira TV, was injured in the blast and died the following day.

In Ecuador, unidentified groups attacked news outlets amid protests. A group threw rocks and smashed windows at the offices of TV broadcaster Teleamazonas and burned a bus and a van parked at the office. A group also threw rocks at the offices of daily newspaper El Comercio and burned tires at the office’s entrance. Neither outlet reported any injuries in the attacks.

Global press freedom updates

  • In Egypt, journalist Esraa Abdel Fattah was arrested on false news charges and allegedly tortured. Abdel Fattah is one of at least seven journalists arrested in Egypt since anti-government protests began on September 19
  • Independent journalists in Bolivia spoke with CPJ’s Andes correspondent, John Otis, about how a government campaign to control the news media has forced them from their jobs
  • Unidentified gunmen detain Iraqi blogger Shojaa al-Khafaji
  • Radio Panic FM journalist Néhémie Joseph was found dead in Haiti after receiving threats
  • On the second anniversary of her murder, CPJ joins a call to end impunity in the killing of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
  • Iranian journalist in exile arrested, gives a televised conference in Iran
  • Algeria detains three journalists who covered protests, alleged corruption
  • CPJ releases safety recommendations for journalists reporting on war

Spotlight

Reporting from the front lines of a conflict is one of the most challenging assignments a journalist can undertake. All war correspondents should have hostile environment training, up-to-date medical training, and the correct safety equipment before going on assignment in a conflict zone. CPJ’s Emergencies Response Team has created specialized safety notes for war reporters. You can also sign up for our safety advisories for up-to-date advice.

Support the fifth annual James W. Foley Freedom Run, which honors the memory of U.S. journalist James Foley and raises money for the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation. It will start at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 20, in Washington, D.C., and New York City. The event is held virtually worldwide for anyone who wants to participate, or you can donate online to support those running.

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