In Pakistan, reporter goes missing following threats
New York, October 11, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned for the safety of missing Pakistani journalist Riaz Mengal, a reporter for the regional newspaper Intikhab in Khuzdar, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan. Mengal did not return home on October 4 and has not been seen since, according to a CPJ source and…
Al-Jazeera cameraman’s health deteriorates at Guantanamo
New York, October 10, 2007—An Al-Jazeera cameraman held at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay for five years without charge is in deteriorating health as a result of a hunger strike, his lawyer told the Committee to Protect Journalists. The lawyer also revealed that the U.S. military, in a recent hearing, cited cameraman Sami…
Government bans two publications in one day
New York, October 10, 2007—Gabon’s governmental media regulatory body suspended two private newspapers Monday. The National Communication Council blocked the Paris-based, pan-African bimonthly Le Gri-Gri from printing and distributing in Gabon, on the grounds that the newspaper has not registered with the authorities as a Gabonese publication. La Nation, a bimonthly as well, has been…
New legislation a potential threat to press freedom
New York, October 10, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the press freedom implications of proposed Australian legislation that would give the federal police commissioner powers to unilaterally block Internet content that he or she “has reason to believe … is crime or terrorist related.” The Communications Legislation Amendment (Crime or Terrorism Related…
Three journalists released, three still held in detention
New York, October 10, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the continued detention of at least three Burmese journalists and expresses strong concern about recent news reports that government authorities have consulted media images to identify and detain people who participated in recent street protests. According to CPJ sources, Win Ko Ko…
Nepalese journalist abducted, Maoist leadership denies responsibility
New York, October 10, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the abduction of Nepalese journalist Birendra Shah, Bara district correspondent for Nepal FM, Dristi Weekly, and Avenues TV. Shah has been missing since Friday. Ram Dev Das, editor of the magazine Terai Khabar Patrika, told the Federation of Nepalese Journalists that he was with Shah…
MEXICO: Newsroom resigns following death threats and murder of media workers
October 9, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 El Imprarcial del Istmo THREATENED All reporters working for the Oaxaca-based daily El Imparcial del Istmo resigned a day after three of the paper’s media workers were murdered on the afternoon of October 8 while driving in the southern state of Oaxaca in a vehicle bearing the paper’s…
Colombian journalist forced to flee following Uribe’s accusations
New York, October 9, 2007—Colombian reporter Gonzalo Guillén has been forced to flee his home in Bogotá after receiving more than 20 death threats following comments made by President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, the journalist said today. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Uribe today to personally ensure that Colombian authorities conduct a prompt investigation…
Three media workers murdered in Mexican state of Oaxaca
New York, October 9, 2007—Three media workers for the Oaxaca-based daily El Imparcial del Istmo were shot and killed on Monday afternoon while driving in the southern state of Oaxaca in a vehicle bearing the paper’s logo. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the attack today and called on Mexican authorities to conduct a prompt…
Gunmen pour acid on radio station transmitter
New York, October 9, 2007—A private radio station in southwest Uganda was knocked off the air for several days after armed assailants poured acid on its transmitter last week in an attack believed to have been prompted by a program critical of the local government, according to local journalists and news reports. Life FM, one…