Taliban intelligence officials beat, interrogate journalist Zabihullah Noori
New York, December 22, 2022 – Taliban authorities must investigate the 48-hour detention and cruel assault of Afghan journalist Zabihullah Noori, and hold its intelligence agency to account for the ongoing crackdown on members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On December 9, around 50 armed officers surrounded and entered the…
Cameroonian journalist Amadou Vamoulké sentenced to 12 years and US$76,000 fine
Dakar, December 21, 2022—In response to news reports that a special criminal court in Yaoundé Tuesday sentenced Amadou Vamoulké, the former managing director of the state-owned Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV) broadcaster, to 12 years in prison and 47 million FCFA (US$76,000) in fines, the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the sentence in this statement. …
Italian journalist Claudio Locatelli injured while covering war in Ukraine
Paris, December 21, 2022 – Russian and Ukrainian authorities should swiftly investigate the attack on Italian journalists Claudio Locatelli and Niccolò Celesti and ensure that members of the press are not targeted while reporting on the war in Ukraine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Monday, December 19, a car transporting Locatelli, an…
Taliban releases American journalist Ivor Shearer; CPJ calls for more releases
New York, December 21, 2022 – In response to news reports that the Taliban released two Americans, including journalist and filmmaker Ivor Shearer, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement on Wednesday calling for the release of other Afghan journalists who remain behind bars: “The release of journalist Ivor Shearer is a small…
Belarusian journalist Syarhei Chihrin detained for 7 days on extremism charges
Paris, December 20, 2022 — Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Syarhei Chihrin and stop using the country’s extremism legislation against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On December 16, security forces in the southwestern city of Slonim detained Chihrin and a local court ordered him to be held for…
Senegalese journalist Pape Alé Niang re-arrested, accused of breaching bail condition
Dakar, December 20, 2022 – In response to news reports that Senegalese authorities re-arrested journalist Pape Alé Niang on Monday, less than a week after his release on bail, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of alarm on Tuesday: “Authorities in Senegal should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Pape Alé Niang and cease all legal…
Ethiopia must release journalist Meskerem Abera after second detention this year
Nairobi, December 20, 2022 –Ethiopian police should unconditionally release online journalist Meskerem Abera and cease harassing members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Federal police detained Meskerem, the founder and editor of private YouTube-based media outlet Ethio Nikat Media, in the capital Addis Ababa on December 13, her husband, Fitsum Gebremichael, told CPJ by phone….
Bulgarian authorities question reporter and editor about sources
Berlin, December 20, 2022—Bulgarian authorities must stop harassing journalists Alexei Lazarov and Desislava Nikolova, and cease attempting to investigate their sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Prosecutors summoned Lazarov and Nikolova for questioning on December 12 regarding allegations of drug markups in state-owned hospitals that were published in the weekly newspaper Capital, according…
Kazakh financial police arrest investigative journalist Mikhail Kozachkov
New York, December 19, 2022—Kazakh authorities should release investigative journalist Mikhail Kozachkov immediately and ensure that members of the press are not prosecuted in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On Sunday, December 18, officers from Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) in the southern city of Almaty arrested Kozachkov, who…