Tax story shows investigative reporting alive in Pakistan
Umar Cheema, a CPJ International Press Freedom Award winner in 2011, was a strong runner-up for this year’s Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia, awarded for the last 10 years by the Asia Society in New York. Umar’s report, Representation Without Taxation, analyzed the tax returns of Pakistani members of parliament for…
Palestinian photographer shot in face with rubber bullet
Israeli forces shot Palestinian freelance photographer Mohammed al-Azza, 23, in the face with a rubber-coated bullet on April 8, 2013, in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, according to local news reports. Al-Azza was taken to a local hospital, where he underwent several surgeries to repair the broken bones in his face.
Access restored, but ban on Fergahana News remains
On Wednesday, more than a year after being blocked in Kyrgyzstan by government order, Ferghana News was again accessible to the public without the aid of proxy servers. Most local Internet providers, including the state-owned Kyrgyz Telecom, restored access to the website, Daniil Kislov, Ferghana’s editor, told CPJ.
CPJ cautiously welcomes Morsi’s step to drop complaints
New York, April 10, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s announcement that he will withdraw legal complaints against journalists who “spread wrong information.” The announcement was posted on the presidency’s Twitter account and confirmed by Presidential spokesman Ehab Fahmy.
Nigeria police harass Leadership staff over memo
Lagos, Nigeria, April 10, 2013–Nigerian police should stop harassing the staff of the leading independent daily Leadership over a story critical of President Goodluck Jonathan, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On Monday, police in the capital Abuja summoned four Leadership journalists for questioning over an April 3 story entitled “Outrage Trails Presidential Directive…
Sky News Arabic crew attacked in Syria
Syrian security forces assaulted and briefly detained a Sky News Arabic crew on Monday, April 8, 2013, according to correspondent Khalil al-Hamlu. In a live broadcast, al-Hamlu said his crew was reporting on a car bomb in central Damascus when Syrian security forces confronted the group. The crew were beaten and detained for a few…
UAE may deport refugee Tamil journalist to Sri Lanka
New York, April 10, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by news reports that a Tamil journalist in the United Arab Emirates may be deported to Sri Lanka this week despite her United Nations refugee status, and calls on authorities in the UAE to halt any such deportation measures.
Armed men shoot at TV journalist in Honduras
New York, April 10, 2013–Unidentified gunmen apparently fired upon a Honduran TV journalist whose work had included coverage of a sensitive land conflict, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities to conduct a thorough and effective investigation that leads to arrests in the attack against journalist Fidelina Sandoval, who was…
CPJ welcomes release of Cuban journalist
New York, April 10, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Cuban journalist Calixto Ramón Martínez Arias, a reporter with the independent news agency Centro de Información Hablemos Press, who had been imprisoned since September while reporting on an international medical donation to Cuba.