Journalist murdered on eve of scheduled testimony in defamation case
New York, August 27, 2001—In a letter sent today to Rio de Janeiro State attorney general Francesco Conte, CPJ expressed deep concern about the August 16 murder of journalist Mário Coelho de Almeida Filho and requested more information about the case. Coelho was killed one day before he was to testify in a criminal defamation…
FORMER DICTATOR REFUSES TO TESTIFY IN JOURNALIST’S UNSOLVED MURDER
New York, August 27, 2001—CPJ urges former Nigerian military dictator Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to testify before the Nigerian Human Rights Violations Investigations Commission about his alleged responsibility for the 1986 murder of prominent journalist Dele Giwa. “It is time to solve the 15-year mystery of Dele Giwa’s murder,” said CPJ executive director Ann Cooper. “We…
Thugs attack local news magazine
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to condemn the recent attack on the office of the magazine Taiwan Next (Taiwan Yi Zhoukan), and to ask your government to ensure that the police investigation into the attack is thorough and professional.
Journalist faces travel restrictions
New York, August 23, 2001—Immigration officials barred Gilberto Neto, reporter for the independent weekly Folha 8, from leaving Angola on August 18, CPJ has confirmed. Neto was traveling to attend a three-week training course at the Reuters Institute in London. At the airport, immigration officials told him he was not allowed to leave the country…
Officials seize independent-media equipment ahead of presidential election
“[My paper] gives alternative information, and the authorities do not like that,” an editor told CPJ. New York, August 23, 2001—In an ongoing crackdown on the independent press during the run-up to the September 9 presidential elections, Belarusian government officials have seized computers and other office equipment from several publications. Some of the equipment had…
INDEPENDENT PRESS UNDER SIEGE IN ZIMBABWE
New York, August 23, 2001—President Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) government have intensified the harsh crackdown on the independent press ahead of next year’s presidential elections. In the last two weeks, several journalists in Harare have faced detention and interrogation, threats of criminal prosecution, and other forms of…
CPJ protests harassment of independent press
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply disturbed by your government’s recent harassment of several new independent media outlets. And we heartily object to a recent presidential decree that will make it easier to imprison journalists who criticize the government.
CPJ concerned about detained Lebanese journalists
New York, August 21, 2001—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is concerned about the recent arrests of two Lebanese journalists accused of having illegal contacts with Israeli officials. The journalists’ incarceration followed a series of large-scale arrests of Christians who oppose Syria’s military presence in Lebanon. About 250 individuals have been detained this month alone.…
Editor charged with defaming president
New York, August 21, 2001 — Fred M’membe, editor-in-chief of the independent Zambian daily The Post, was arrested today and charged with criminal defamation of the head of state, an offence under Article 69 of Zambia’s Penal Code. He was released after posting bail. The charges stem from an article and an editorial in the…