In Mexico, a movement and a bill against impunity
Who can say exactly when the work of press freedom groups, human rights defenders, and budding networks of Mexican journalists became a movement? It would have been many murders, many funerals, many orphans ago. It would have been countless news events–about crime, corruption, violence–that went uncovered because reporters and news organizations concluded that the only…
Vladimir Putin denies repressing media, critics
In the year since Vladimir Putin returned to the Russian presidency, independent media, civil society groups, and opposition activists have been under attack. But as he has done in the past, Putin recently asserted that his government is not engaged in political repression.
Hamid Karzai goes conservative on media
As if a faltering media industry and rising risks to endangered journalists as NATO reduces its forces in 2014 aren’t bad enough, add in a president pandering to religious conservatives in a pre-presidential election run-up. Reporting from Kabul, Reuters said Wednesday:
CPJ welcomes reversal of Thai documentary ban
Bangkok, April 26, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the decision by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture to reverse its earlier imposed ban on the locally produced documentary Fah Tam Pan Din Soon (Boundary). “The ministry’s reversal of its censorship order against director Nontawat Numbchapol’s documentary is a step in the right direction,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior…
Full investigation needed in Mexican journalist’s murder
Mexico City, April 25, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists joins journalists with the Mexican daily Vanguardia in calling on authorities to launch an efficient and thorough investigation into the murder of photographer Daniel Martínez Balzaldúa.
Bangladeshi journalists attacked while covering extortion
At least five journalists reported being attacked on April 13, 2013, while covering alleged extortion by students at Dhaka University in the capital. News accounts said the students had been extorting money from drivers of vehicles in the surrounding area, but did not offer further details.
Objection to international press at Indian rape trial
A British journalist trying to cover the Delhi gang rape trial was asked to leave the courtroom on Tuesday after the prosecution objected to the presence of the international press. Andrew Buncombe, a correspondent for The Independent of London, was ejected from a court in the Indian capital even though a wide-ranging order restricting press…
Kuwaiti prime minister delays draft media law
In a welcome move Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah offered to shelve Kuwait’s controversial draft media law, according to news reports. The announcement came in what the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) called a “candid, frank, and expanded meeting with chief editors of Kuwaiti press.”
Turkish editor convicted of insulting the president
Istanbul, April 25, 2013–An Istanbul court convicted a Turkish editor of “publicly insulting the president” and sentenced him to a conditional term of 14 months in prison, according to news reports. Ali Örnek would be jailed if he repeats the perceived offense sometime in the next five years under amendments to Turkey’s criminal code introduced…