Journalist threatened with death after reporting on local drug kingpin
FEBRUARY 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 Miguel Ramírez, El Comercio THREATENED Ramírez, a well-known investigative journalist for the Peruvian national daily El Comercio, was threatened with death after reporting on a local drug kingpin, the reporter said in an interview with CPJ. Ramírez, who has investigated the kingpin for over a decade, said he…
CPJ urges resumption of Kyrgyz murder probe
Dear Mr. President, The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about the lack of progress in the investigation into the October assassination of Alisher Saipov, editor of the independent Uzbek-language weekly Siyosat (Politics). Four months after this brazen crime, Kyrgyz officials in charge of the probe announced–amid conflicting press reports–that the investigation was suspended. The Saipov family was not informed of the suspension in time to seek reconsideration.
In Cameroon, leading private TV station summarily closed
New York, February 22, 2008—Cameroon’s government summarily closed on Thursday a leading private television station on alleged regulatory violations, according to local journalists and news reports. The station in Douala was distinguished for its leading coverage of a national debate over a bid by President Paul Biya to scrap a constitutional clause that limits presidential terms.…
Independent broadcaster B92 threatened, besieged
SERBIA: New York, February 22, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces yesterday’s siege in Belgrade of the independent radio and television station B92. Threats have been waged against the broadcaster since violence flared as a result of Kosovo’s declaration of independence on Saturday. Also, CPJ is appalled by a graphic video that appeared on YouTube…
Concern growing over Afghan journalist’s ongoing detention
New York, February 21, 2008—The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that the U.S. military is holding Canadian Television journalist (CTV) Jawed Ahmad, but refused to disclose any further information. The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned by Ahmad’s continuing detention at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, in Afghanistan. Ahmad has been held…
Morocco’s Supreme Court upholds journalist’s 7-month jail sentence
New York, February 21, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the Moroccan Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a seven-month jail sentence against journalist Mustafa Hormatallah. Hormatallah, a member of the editorial board of the Moroccan weekly Al-Watan Al An, was convicted in August 2007 of possession of stolen documents. The conviction concerned an…
Two Sudanese editors held overnight; others summoned
New York, February 20, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the overnight detention of two Sudanese editors over articles they published on Sudan’s police force. The Khartoum state security prosecutor’s office summoned Sid Ahmed Khalifa, editor in chief of the daily Al-Watan, around 10 p.m. on Monday and questioned him about an article…
Government bans critical radio journalist from broadcast
Government bans critical radio journalist from broadcast FEBRUARY 19, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 Daniel Lawson-Drackey, Nana FMCENSORED Togo’s Broadcast and Communication High Authority (known by its French acronym, HAAC) summarily banned all editorials and commentary of veteran journalist and media activist Daniel Lawson-Drackey on private station Nana FM, according to local journalists and news…
Two journalists arrested by military junta
BURMA: New York, February 19, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns Friday’s arrest of journalists Thet Zin and Sein Win Maung, respectively the editor and office manager for the Myanmar Nation weekly news journal. Both journalists were taken after police raided the publication’s office in Rangoon. As of this afternoon, Thet Zin and Sein…