Government to allow private broadcasting
New York, August 30, 2005—President Lansana Conté signed a decree on August 20 allowing private broadcasting in Guinea, one of the last countries in Africa along with Zimbabwe and Eritrea to ban it. The law, which had been held up for nearly 14 years, enables private citizens and organizations to broadcast but excludes political parties…
Reporter jailed for “insulting” security officer
New York, August 30, 2005—An Uzbek court sentenced a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to six months in prison for insulting a security officer, the radio said today. Nosir Zokirov, an Uzbek who has worked for the radio’s local language service for eight years, was summoned to court in the eastern city of Namangan…
U.S. detains cameraman, only known witness
New York, August 29, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed shock and alarm today after an Iraqi soundman on assignment for the Reuters news agency was shot by U.S. forces in Baghdad on Sunday. CPJ also called for the immediate release of a Reuters cameraman wounded in the shooting and still being detained by U.S.…
Inquest says editor’s death was manslaughter
New York, August 29, 2005—An attack on newspaper editor Harry Yansaneh contributed to his death from kidney failure two months later, a judicial inquest found on Friday. A magistrate ordered the arrest of Member of Parliament Fatmata Hassan, three of her children, and two other men for suspected manslaughter after the weeklong inquest, local journalists…
IRAQ
AUGUST 28, 2005 Posted: August 29, 2005 Waleed Khaled, Reuters KILLED—CONFIRMED Khaled, 35, a soundman for Reuters, was shot by U.S. forces several times in the face and chest as he drove with cameraman Haidar Kadhem to investigate a report of clashes between armed men and police in Baghdad’s Hay al-Adil district, Reuters reported.
IRAQ
AUGUST 27, 2005 Posted: September 29, 2005 Rafed Mahmoud Said al-Anbagy, Diyala TV and Radio KILLED—CONFIRMED Al-Anbagy, a 36-year-old news anchor and director at Diyala, part of the U.S.-backed Iraq Media Network, was shot dead in Za’toun neighborhood in the city of Baaquba, east of Baghdad, while covering a football match, sources at the broadcaster…
CPJ alarmed by planned legal action against Kantipur
New York, August 26, 2005 The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by Minister for Information and Communication Tanka Dhakal’s confirmation yesterday that the government has initiated legal action against Kantipur Publications following the publication of an allegedly “objectionable” cartoon. Dhakal told a news conference in Kathmandu “The government action has begun. You will…
Security service agents raid private newspaper
New York, August 26, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed outrage at a raid by the State Security Service (SSS) on the Lagos-based weekly The Exclusive. Fourteen SSS agents raided the tabloid’s offices on August 19 and confiscated over 200 copies of its latest edition. They also detained and harassed vendors of the newspaper, local…