Mission Journal: Secrets bill spurs South African press
Irrespective of whether South Africa actually implements the most draconian parts of state secrets legislation now under consideration, the media in the continent’s most open democracy already feel under threat. The prospect of 25-year jail sentences for journalists publishing “classified” information has galvanized disparate news outlets and journalists groups to work together like never before.
Egyptian blogger sentence is an insult to press freedom
New York, December 14, 2011– The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the sentencing of Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad by a military court to two years in prison and a fine for insulting the military and calls for his immediate, unconditional release. Sanad, initially arrested in March was sentenced in April by a military court…
Ukraine must prosecute Kuchma in Gongadze murder
New York, December 14, 2011–Today’s court ruling to scrap the case against former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma for allegedly ordering the 2000 murder of independent journalist Georgy Gongadze is a blow to press freedom, said the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Chinese journalist released early from prison
New York, December 14, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of jailed Chinese journalist Huang Jinqiu. The journalist was freed on October 20, but delayed the announcement until Tuesday because authorities had told him not to seek publicity at the time, according to news reports.
Q&A: Press Council of India’s Katju on media safety
Retired Supreme Court Justice Markandey Katju is shaking things up at the Press Council of India, where he was appointed chairman in October. The statutory body, mandated to look at media freedom and address complaints against the print media since 1966, has often been criticized for ineffectiveness, its role limited to admonishing news outlets.
“At heart he is still a journalist. But it was his journalism that endangered his life.”
In 2008 Namal Perera was dragged from a car and savagely beaten with metal rods by paramilitary forces in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The attack was so severe that he was forced to flee the country for fear of his life. With few options available to him, he CPJ helped to secure a special rescue fellowship to…
Egypt must investigate attacks on the press
Your Excellency Prime Minister El Ganzory: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to bring to your attention the mounting press freedom violations in Egypt. Between November 19 and 24, we documented at least 35 cases of journalists who were attacked in Cairo and Alexandria when protesters clashed with the military and police. We are attaching the list here and ask specifically for you to note the deteriorating state of press freedom in your country.
Kenyan journalist threatened for his reporting
New York, December 9, 2011–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the safety of Kenyan reporter Robert Wanyonyi who has been repeatedly threatened after covering a melee between police and local villagers that left as many as seven people dead.
Awramba Times is latest Ethiopian paper to vanish
A couple of weeks ago, newspaper editor Dawit Kebede, an International Press Freedom award winner, fled Ethiopia. Sadly, Dawit’s Awramba Times is the latest in a long list of Amharic-language private publications to vanish from the market following the incarceration or flight into exile of their editors.
Several tallies, one conclusion on Turkish press freedom
Press freedom in Turkey is under assault. Thousands of criminal cases have been filed against reporters, the Criminal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act are used routinely to silence critical news coverage, and Kurdish journalists face constant persecution. Today CPJ released its annual prison census, which tracks cases of journalists jailed for their work globally. (The list…