CPJ calls for investigation into disappearance of Indonesian journalist
New York, September 2, 2005—A journalist on the island of Nias off the western coast of Sumatra is missing 16 days after he left home to report on a murder. The Committee to Protect Journalists is probing the disappearance of Elyuddin Telaumbanua, a reporter for the daily Berita Sore, and called today for a thorough…
HAITI
JULY 14, 2005 Posted: September 2, 2005 Jacques Roche, Le Matin KILLED–UNCONFIRMED Roche, cultural editor with the Port-au-Prince-based daily Le Matin who was kidnapped on July 10, was found dead four days later in a slum in Haiti’s capital. His body was handcuffed, riddled with bullets, and mutilated, according to international press reports. The Committee…
RUSSIA
SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 Posted September 2, 2005 Yuri Bagrov, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Harassment Bagrov was prevented by Russian police from covering the first anniversary of the Beslan school hostage tragedy. Bagrov, a North Caucasus correspondent for the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, told CPJ he was held for four hours after arriving in…
CPJ speaks with jailed journalist
New York, September 1, 2005—Journalist Michaël Didama, speaking from his prison cell in the Chadian capital N’Djamena, today denounced his detention as illegal and called on local and international journalists to keep up pressure for the release of all four reporters jailed by the government since July. “This is a crackdown on the press. There…
Radio Liberty reporter barred from Beslan anniversary
New York, September 1, 2005— The Committee to Protect Journalists voiced outrage at the unrelenting harassment of reporter Yuri Bagrov who was prevented by Russian police today from covering the first anniversary of the Beslan school hostage tragedy. Bagrov, a North Caucasus correspondent for the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, told CPJ he was…
Reuters cameraman freed but U.S. still holds other journalists
New York, August 31, 2005—The U.S. military in Iraq today released a Reuters cameraman held for three days without charge, but it continued to hold another Reuters freelancer and at least four other journalists on unspecified charges. Reuters said Haidar Kadhem was freed in Baghdad where he was detained on Sunday after coming under fire,…
Zimbabwean journalist acquitted in important test case
New York, August 31, 2005—A magistrate in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, acquitted a journalist today on criminal charges of working without accreditation for the now-banned Daily News, according to his lawyer. Observers say the ruling in favor of Kelvin Jakachira could set an important precedent for several other former Daily News journalists facing the same charge.…
SIERRA LEONE
JULY 28, 2005 Posted August 31, 2005 Harry Yansaneh, For Di PeopleKILLED – UNCONFIRMED An attack on newspaper editor Harry Yansaneh contributed to his death from kidney failure two months later, a judicial inquest found on August 26. A magistrate ordered the arrest of Member of Parliament Fatmata Hassan, three of her children, and two…
SRI LANKA
August 30, 2005 Posted: November 8, 2005 Sudar OliATTACKED Staff and offices of the Tamil-language newspaper Sudar Oli came under a spate of attacks. On August 29, two men lobbed grenades into the building housing its printing press, killing a guard and injuring two other staff members. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse condemned the attack as…
UZBEKISTAN
AUGUST 30, 2005 Posted September 2, 2005 Nosir Zokirov, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty IMPRISONED Nosir Zokirov, a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was sentenced to six months in prison for insulting a security officer. Zokirov, an Uzbek who has worked for the radio’s local language service for eight years, was summoned to court in…