Journalists face criminal prosecution
New York, December 14, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the recent prosecution of journalists under laws that criminalize comment about the Turkish state, its institutions, and history. In the past three months, the authorities have used the catch-all provisions of Article 301 of the penal code to stifle writing about the massacres…
UGANDA
DECEMBER 13, 2005 Posted: Jauary 23, 2006 James Tumusiime, The Weekly ObserverSsemujju Ibrahim Nganda, The Weekly Observer HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION Editor Tumusiime and reporter Nganda of the privately owned newspaper The Weekly Observer were summoned to a police station in the capital, Kampala, where they were held for about five hours and charged with “promoting…
CPJ urges Hu to release journalists, shed notorious title
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the imprisonment of journalists for their work. In a survey released today, CPJ found that China is the world’s leading jailer of journalists for the seventh consecutive year, with 32 writers and editors behind bars. Four were imprisoned this year, adding to the long list of journalists previously jailed.
CPJ urges Castro to end persecution of independent press
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned about your government’s practice of imprisoning journalists in reprisal for their work. Twenty-four Cuban reporters, writers, and editors were behind bars on December 1, 2005, making your country the world’s second-leading jailer of journalists, behind only China, CPJ found in an analysis released today. Two Cuban journalists were imprisoned during the year, joining 22 others who have been jailed since a massive March 2003 crackdown on the independent press.
In Brazil, a disputed court order bans coverage of spy case
New York, December 13, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the latest example of judicial censorship in Brazil, where a São Paulo court has ordered the daily Folha de S.Paulo to stop publishing reports about a criminal case. A Federal District Court judge ordered the São Paulo-based newspaper to stop publishing reports about a pending…
CPJ condemns threats against leading press freedom group
New York, December 13, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces the threatening messages sent to the local press freedom group Journaliste en Danger (JED) a day after it released a hard-hitting report on abuses against journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On December 10, JED President Donat M’baya Tshimanga, Secretary-General Tshivis Tshivuadi, and staff…
Serbian soldiers convicted in 1991 slaughter of civilians, journalists
New York, December 13, 2005—The War Crimes Chamber of the district court in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, convicted 14 former soldiers Monday on charges of torturing and executing Croatian civilians, including at least two journalists, in neighboring Croatia in 1991, according to international press reports. The defendants were given prison sentences ranging from five to…
journalist Ching Cheong extended
New York, December 12, 2005—Chinese authorities have extended for three months the detention without charge of Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong, a move condemned today by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Ching, a reporter for the Singapore daily The Straits Times, has been held since April 22 without access to a lawyer. “It is deplorable…
Two more journalists jailed on old charges
New York, December 12, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged that two more journalists have been jailed on criminal charges that have been revived since a crackdown on the press in November. The convictions last week relating to articles published up to seven years ago bring the number of journalists now behind bars in…
CPJ condemns killing of Al-Nahar columnist and manager
New York, December 12, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the assassination today in Beirut of Gebran Tueni, a journalist and member of parliament who was a fierce critic of Syria and its policies in Lebanon. Tueni, 48, was managing director of Lebanon’s leading daily Al-Nahar. A parked car exploded as Tueni’s armored vehicle drove…