Belarusian authorities continue press crackdown
New York, March 27, 2006—A prominent Russian journalist was detained and beaten by police, another Russian journalist was expelled, and at least six Belarusian and international journalists were handed jail sentences as Belarusian authorities continued to crack down on journalists covering the aftermath of the flawed March 19 presidential vote. Five plainclothes officers pushed Pavel…
Director of independent weekly detained
MARCH 25, 2006 Posted April 19, 2006 Aboubacar Mchangama, L’Archipel IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION Mchangama, director of the independent weekly L’Archipel, was detained by paramilitary police, or gendarmes, for two days in the capital, Moroni, over an article detailing discontent among army officers. He was charged with “divulging military secrets,” according to the Panapress news agency.
Journalist’s abduction raises further alarm
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the March 11 abduction and assault of a Yemeni journalist who was warned to stop writing his weekly column because it offended state security forces. A recent series of attacks against journalists, coupled with the government’s indifference, is contributing to an ever more repressive climate for the press.
Journalist attacked, threatened after reporting on colleague’s murder
New York, March 24, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by threats against Peruvian radio journalist Rory Huaney Rodríguez in the city of Yungay, in the northern Áncash province. Huaney said the threats stem from his coverage of the trial of a former local mayor charged in the 2004 murder of journalist Antonio de…
U.S. military pledges to expedite cases of detained journalists
New York, March 24, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes U.S. officials’ pledge this week to begin prompt, high-level reviews of cases in which journalists are detained by troops in Iraq. CPJ documented seven cases in 2005 alone in which U.S. forces detained Iraqi journalists for periods of many weeks or months without charge or…
CPJ urges China to release Times researcher Zhao Yan
New York, March 24, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Chinese authorities to release New York Times researcher Zhao Yan now that the charge of revealing state secrets has been dropped against him. Zhao’s defense lawyer, Mo Shaoping, said prosecutors have not responded to two requests to release him after the charge was dropped…
Belarusian police arrest journalists, block coverage in rally crackdown
New York, March 24, 2006—Riot police in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, detained at least nine journalists as they stormed an encampment of 200 or more opposition protesters in October Square early today, according to local and international press reports. Police barred other journalists from filming or taking pictures of the assault, which led to the…
Charges sought against two officials in Philippine killing
New York, March 23, 2006—One year after Philippine columnist Marlene Garcia-Esperat was gunned down in her home in Tacurong, lawyers for her family are expected to ask a judge to reinstate murder charges against two regional agriculture officials suspected of ordering the killing. The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the court to give utmost consideration…
Bouteflika should repeal decree limiting free expression
Your Excellency: I am writing to strongly protest Your Excellency’s recent promulgation of a draconian decree further restricting freedom of expression, including sharp new limits on discussion of the conflict that ravaged Algeria in the 1990s.