CPJ, press groups: Release Eynulla Fatullayev
Dear President Aliyev: We are writing to express our strong concern regarding the continued imprisonment of Editor-in-chief Eynulla Fatullayev, which constitutes a breach of Azerbaijan’s international legal obligations and a violation of Mr Fatullayev’s rights.
South Africa weighs dropping media tribunal plan
For the first time in South Africa’s months-long debate over the proposal for a government-run media appeals tribunal, a top official from the African National Congress (ANC) indicated on Friday that the plan could be dropped altogether–under certain conditions.
Obiang prize suspended indefinitely
The Obiang prize, named for and funded by one of Africa’s most notorious dictators, was a very poor idea from the start and our goal, bluntly, was to kill it. We didn’t quite succeed in getting an outright cancellation, but the prize, while technically alive, is in a deep coma with virtually no chance of…
Censorship by bullet
In an article on October 20 the Latin America News Dispatch quotes CPJ executive director Joel Simon; “Mexico is the most dangerous country in Latin America.” Simon spoke on October 19 along with prominent writers and journalists from Mexico and the United States gathered in New York for “State of Emergency: Censorship by Bullet in…
Radio reporter shot dead in Brazil; suspect arrested
New York, October 20, 2010–Brazilian police on Tuesday arrested a man suspected of killing radio reporter Francisco Gomes de Medeiros in the city of Caicó, state of Rio Grande do Norte, local press reports said. Gomes was shot to death Monday in front of his house. The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the arrest and…
Earp in the Guardian: Will China listen?
In the Guardian Comment is Free, CPJ Senior Asia Program Researcher Madeline Earp argues; in China “reform and opening-up is not possible without a free and independent media. China’s leaders must make, and meet, specific commitments to release imprisoned journalists and allow independent reporting and comment, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. Chinese…