North Macedonia police arrest journalist Furkan Saliu at soccer match
Berlin, April 11, 2024—North Macedonia authorities should conduct a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation into riot police’s arrest of journalist Furkan Saliu at a soccer match and their deletion of footage from his phone and allow journalists to work without interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Sunday, police arrested Furkan Saliu, founder…
Togolese authorities release journalist Apollinaire Mewenemesse with conditions
Dakar, April 10, 2024 — The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of journalist and La Dépêche publishing director Apollinaire Mewenemesse and calls for Togolese authorities to lift the conditions placed on his freedom, drop all charges against him, and cease criminalizing journalism. On April 9, a court in Lomé, Togo’s capital city, released…
CPJ welcomes South Africa’s abolition of criminal defamation, calls for further legal reforms
Lusaka, April 10, 2024–The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday welcomed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing into law a bill that abolishes criminal defamation, and urged authorities to reform other problematic laws that threaten press freedom. On April 3, Ramaphosa signed the Judicial Matters Amendment Act (2023), which includes a provision repealing “the common…
Lesotho courts dismiss lawsuits seeking closure of 2 newspapers, defamation cases ongoing
Two privately owned newspapers in Lesotho—the Lesotho Tribune and Lesotho Times—faced separate lawsuits in February and March 2024, seeking to shut them down, according to the publications’ owners who spoke to CPJ. In late March, the courts dismissed both lawsuits, but the newspapers still face defamation cases in connection with their corruption coverage. Mergence Investment…
CPJ calls on Jordan to free photojournalist Ahmad Mohsen
Beirut, April 10, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Jordanian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release freelance photojournalist Ahmad Mohsen, professionally known as Sherbel Dissi, from administrative detention and ensure journalists are allowed to freely cover events of public interest. On March 30, security forces arrested Mohsen alongside dozens of protesters while he was…
Russia adds exiled journalist Mikhail Zygar to its wanted list
New York, April 9, 2024—Russian authorities must drop all charges against Russian journalist and writer Mikhail Zygar and stop harassing exiled members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. “The shameful addition of Mikhail Zygar to Russian authorities’ wanted list shows both their determination to intimidate journalists in exile and their fear…
At least 4 Ukrainian journalists injured in consecutive attacks on Ukraine
New York, April 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday condemned Russia’s latest series of attacks on Ukraine that injured at least four Ukrainian journalists reporting on the war. On April 4, two early morning drone strikes hit Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine injuring Yuliya Boyko, a correspondent with the Ukrainian news website Novini.Live and a freelancer…
Kyrgyzstan releases 4 Temirov Live journalists; CPJ calls for dropping of charges against all 11
Stockholm, April 9, 2024—Kyrgyzstan authorities should withdraw charges against 11 current and former staff of anti-corruption investigative outlet Temirov Live, release the four still in detention, and allow the press to work without reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. The Pervomaisky District Court in the capital, Bishkek, on Tuesday released four former Temirov…
Guatemalan journalist Jorge Tizol detained while covering police raid
Mexico City, April 9, 2024— Guatemalan authorities must drop all legal proceedings against journalist Jorge Tizol and hold accountable those responsible for his unwarranted detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. According to news reports, on April 6, police arrested Tizol, who reports for the La Jefa radio station, various local TV stations, and from his Canal…
CPJ calls on Taliban to drop plans to restrict Facebook access in Afghanistan
New York, April 8, 2024 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that the Taliban plans to restrict or block access to Facebook in Afghanistan and calls on authorities not to move ahead on a measure that would further impede the free flow of information in the country. On April 6, Najibullah Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting…