Voice of the People director arrested; three others freed
New York, December 19, 2005—Three staff members of the independent news production company Voice of the People (VOP) were released this morning after three days in jail, but VOP Director John Masuku was detained and could be charged with broadcasting without a license, local sources told the Committee to Protect Journalists. The broadcast charge carries…
Police bar journalists from site of editor’s murder on 1st anniversary
Statement prepared by the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York on December 15, 2005, to be read by Tidiane Sy on behalf of CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper, Africa Program Coordinator Julia Crawford, and the CPJ board of directors.
CPJ urges Annan to widen murder probe to attacks on 3 journalists
New York, December 16, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists today urged United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to work to broaden a U.N. investigation into the murder of former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri to include bomb attacks on three Lebanese journalists. The United Nations Security Council authorized Annan on Thursday to make recommendations for expanding the…
CPJ welcomes convictions in murder of radio journalist
New York, December 16, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the conviction by a Peruvian court of three men in the murder of radio journalist Antonio de la Torre Echeandía in Yungay, northern Áncash Region. On December 15, the Áncash Superior Court of Justice found former Yungay Mayor Amaro León guilty of masterminding the February…
Jailed journalist finally freed after bureaucratic obstruction
New York, December 16, 2005—A Tajik journalist ordered released last month by the Supreme Court was finally freed today, a move welcomed by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Jumaboy Tolibov left a detention center in the town of Istarafshan in the northern region of Sogd, according to a local CPJ legal source and the National…
As Gongadze proceedings start, CPJ says much work remains
New York, December 16, 2005—As court proceedings are about to begin against three defendants in the 2000 murder of Internet journalist Georgy Gongadze, the Committee to Protect Journalists urges Ukrainian authorities to identify and prosecute all those responsible for plotting the brutal slaying. Preliminary hearings are set to begin on Monday in Kyiv against former…
One year later, murderers of leading editor still free
New York, December 15, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned that the murderers of leading Gambian editor and press freedom activist Deyda Hydara have not been brought to justice a year after his death. As local and international press freedom groups mark the anniversary on Friday, CPJ renews its call to the Gambian…
Security agents raid private news production company
New York, December 15, 2005—Zimbabwean police and intelligence agents today raided the independent news production company Voice of the People (VOP) in the capital, Harare. Police confiscated equipment and documents and held three staff members for questioning. Local VOP staffers produce programs on a variety of community and political issues but do not broadcast directly…
CPJ protest to Ethiopia, the world’s fourth biggest jailer of journalists
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by the continued detention of at least 13 journalists who were arrested in a crackdown on the private press following antigovernment protests in early November. These editors and publishers from the private, Amharic-language press, who were identified on a government “wanted” list publicized on state-owned media, have been detained without charge and denied bail. The journalists were jailed along with dozens of opposition and civil society leaders. Your Excellency has threatened to charge these detainees with treason, which is punishable by death in Ethiopia.Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by the continued detention of at least 13 journalists who were arrested in a crackdown on the private press following antigovernment protests in early November. These editors and publishers from the private, Amharic-language press, who were identified on a government “wanted” list publicized on state-owned media, have been detained without charge and denied bail. The journalists were jailed along with dozens of opposition and civil society leaders. Your Excellency has threatened to charge these detainees with treason, which is punishable by death in Ethiopia.