Journalists arrested at U.S. ‘School of the Americas’ protest
New York, November 23, 2010–Two journalists from the Moscow-based broadcast outlet Russia Today were arrested on November 20 while covering a protest against the U.S. military training center formerly known as the “School of the Americas” at Fort Benning, Georgia. On-air correspondent Kaelyn Forde and cameraman Jon Conway, both of whom are U.S. citizens, were…
Kuwait journalist gets year in jail; faces over a dozen cases
New York, November 23, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a one-year prison sentence given to Mohammed Abdulqader al-Jassem, a Kuwaiti writer and journalist, on Monday. A criminal court convicted al-Jassem of criminal defamation in connection with an article he published on his personal news blog, Al-Mizan. The case is only one of 18 that the government has…
Journalist found dead in Baluchistan
New York, November 22, 2010–The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder of Pakistani journalist Lala Hameed Baloch. His body was found with gunshot wounds on Thursday outside of Turbat, in western Pakistan’s Baluchistan province.
Marking Maguindanao, events for reflection, justice
Tuesday is the anniversary of the deadliest attack on the press ever recorded by CPJ. On November 23, 2009, 32 journalists and media workers were shot and killed in a massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan, in the southern province of Maguindanao. The victims were part of a convoy accompanying the supporters and relatives of…
Egypt detains journalist on drug charges in Alexandria
New York, November 22, 2010–Egyptian authorities should immediately release Youssef Shaaban, a reporter for the online newspaper Al-Badil who was arrested while covering street protests in Alexandria, and drop the criminal charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Al-Mosuliya journalist shot to death in Iraq
New York, November 22, 2010–Mazen Mardan al-Baghdadi, a reporter for Al-Mosuliya television, was gunned down on Sunday in front of his home, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Iraqi authorities to thoroughly and transparently investigate the murder.
CPJ’s Rebecca MacKinnon on ‘Internet freedom’ in WSJ
Here’s a quick pointer to an insightful Wall Street Journal op-ed about Internet freedom from CPJ board member (and former CNN colleague) Rebecca MacKinnon. She’s based in Washington these days, a Bernard L. Schwartz senior fellow at the New America Foundation, so she has plenty to say about inside the Beltway funding issues. But she’s…
CPJ Press Freedom Awardee: ‘I always wanted answers’
The last few weeks have been extremely busy for everyone at CPJ as we’ve been preparing for the 2010 International Press Freedom Awards. Today’s press conference in Washington will be followed by a series of events culminating in our awards ceremony Tuesday in New York. As always, the awardees make it special.
Azerbaijan releases blogger; two reporters still in prison
New York, November 18, 2010–After the Baku Appeals Court released blogger Adnan Hajizade today, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged Azerbaijani authorities to release two other imprisoned journalists, Emin Milli and Eynulla Fatullayev. Both Milli and Fatullayev have their appeals pending at the same court.
Zimbabwe detains reporter on criminal defamation charges
New York, November, 18, 2010–Reporter Nqobani Ndlovu remained in police custody today despite expectations that he would appear in court on criminal defamation charges, local journalists told CPJ. Police in Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Bulawayo, arrested Ndlovu, a reporter for the private weekly Standard, on Wednesday and charged him with criminal defamation in relation to an…