Press freedom groups call for Brazilian presidential candidates to ensure safety of journalists covering elections
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 10 other civil society groups and press freedom organizations this week in a letter to all Brazilian presidential candidates, urging them, their political parties, and parties’ coalitions to commit to ensuring that journalists can report safely and freely during upcoming elections in Brazil. In the letter, the organizations highlighted…
Congolese journalists Patrick Lola and Christian Bofaya unable to pay bail, denied release
Kinshasa, August 24, 2022 – Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo should drop all legal proceedings against journalists Patrick Lola and Christian Bofaya after they spent more than eight months in arbitrary detention, and should not use excessive bail to keep journalists imprisoned, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Lola, a freelance…
Mexican journalist Fredid Román shot and killed in Chilpancingo
Mexico City, August 24, 2022 – Mexican authorities must immediately investigate the killing of journalist Fredid Román Román, identify and apprehend those responsible, and determine whether the attack was related to his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Monday, August 22, two unidentified attackers on a motorcycle shot and killed Román, founder…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the Amazon basin
The June 2022 disappearance and killing of British journalist Dom Philips and Brazilian Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira highlighted the safety risks journalists face while reporting from the Amazon region. Phillips and Pereira went missing on the morning of June 5, 2022 while traveling by boat along the Itaquaí River, where Phillips was reporting on a book on the…
Key safety steps for covering the Amazon
Plan to update your risk assessment on a daily basis to adapt to any changes. Doing it once ahead of time and never revising is dangerous. Health check: Be aware of yellow fever and malaria in particular. Take a medical kit and make sure you know how to use it. Think about your means of…
Lebanese journalist Mohamad Barakat, Al-Akhbar newspaper receive threatening messages
Beirut, August 24, 2022–Lebanese authorities should immediately investigate threatening messages received by journalist Mohamad Barakat and the Al-Akhbar newspaper, and ensure that members of the press can work without fear of harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Since August 13, Barakat, managing editor of the privately owned news website Asas Media, has received…
Bangladeshi journalist Imran Hossain Titu investigated under Digital Security Act
On April 5, 2022, the Barisal Cyber Tribunal, which adjudicates alleged cybercrime offenses in Bangladesh’s southern Barisal division, accepted a complaint against Imran Hossain Titu, the Barguna district correspondent for privately owned broadcaster Ekattor TV, for allegedly violating the Digital Security Act, according to a statement by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, a local…
Russian authorities detain journalists, media workers on extortion, fraud charges
Paris, August 23, 2022—Russian authorities should immediately release journalists and media workers recently arrested on extortion and fraud charges and ensure that the country’s judicial system is not used to silence critical voices, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Between August 1, and August 16, Russian authorities raided the homes of and detained at…
Guatemalan police detain elPeriódico financial manager for alleged money laundering
Guatemala City, August 23, 2022–Guatemalan authorities must stop harassing employees of the elPeriódico newspaper, unconditionally release its financial manager Flora Silva, and allow its staff to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On August 19, Guatemalan police arrested Silva after a raid on her home, according to a statement by the public…
Pakistani journalists Jameel Farooqui and Ilyas Samoo arrested; Farooqui remains in detention
New York, August 23, 2022–Pakistan authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Jameel Farooqui, and cease harassing him and journalist Ilyas Samoo in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On August 19, police in southeastern Sindh province’s Thatta district arrested Samoo, a reporter for the privately owned daily newspaper Awami…