New York, April 18, 2025—Taliban authorities must immediately release independent journalist Sayed Rashed Kashefi, who was detained April 14 by General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) agents in the capital Kabul, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. “Taliban intelligence must release journalist Sayed Rashed Kashefi immediately and unconditionally,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih…
Washington, D.C., April 18, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns Wednesday’s arrest of Yemeni journalist Awad Kashmeem, head of the Freedoms Committee at the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate’s Hadramout branch, by local authorities in the country’s eastern Hadramout governorate. “We are deeply concerned about the arrest of Awad Kashmeem in Yemen. His latest detention is…
New York, April 17, 2025—A court in the southern city of Almaty sentenced Temirlan Yensebek, the founder of the Instagram-based satirical outlet Qaznews24, on Friday, April 11, to five years of restricted freedom on charges of inciting ethnic and religious hatred. The court prohibited Yensebek from engaging in public activities, including working as a journalist, participating in…
On his 100th day in office, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to ensure swift and conclusive investigations into cases of attacks against the press, to reform laws that criminalize journalism, and to protect journalists’ privacy. In its April 17 letter, CPJ requested Mahama to take steps to deliver justice…
Istanbul, April 17, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Turkey to drop charges against five photojournalists, whose trial begins on Friday, for allegedly taking part in protests in Istanbul last month. The journalists could be jailed for up to three years for violating the law on gatherings and demonstrations. In the indictment, reviewed by…
The Committee to Protect Journalists today released a safety advisory covering a wide range of digital, physical, and legal tips aimed at journalists and media workers who plan to visit the United States. Under a draft plan being considered by the Trump administration, more than 40 countries could face full or partial travel restrictions to…
A stated policy goal of the Trump administration is to significantly change U.S. travel and immigration policies. Foreign nationals whose countries do not meet U.S. vetting standards may be barred entry. Journalists will not be exempt and should anticipate potential restrictions or questioning when traveling to or from the United States. Under a draft Trump…
Miami, April 17, 2025– CPJ is alarmed by the arrest and prolonged pre-trail detention of Cuban freelance reporters Yadiel Hernández and José Gabriel Barrenechea, who both write for the online newspaper 14ymedio, and calls on Cuban authorities to release them immediately. “The Cuban government continues to engage in a campaign of harassment and intimidation against the country’s…
Dakar, April 16, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Senegalese authorities to stop the legal harassment of journalists and to deliver on President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye’s promise to decriminalize press offenses. A Dakar court judge charged Zik Fm editor-in-chief Simon Pierre Faye with spreading false news on April 14 and released him under judicial control. On the same…
CPJ joined 31 other organizations in an April 16 statement calling on the European Commission to strengthen its annual rule of law report, which assesses media freedom in European Union member states. The statement said the European Commission “should issue targeted recommendations to mitigate risks to media freedom and pluralism, ensuring a comprehensive and transparent…