Landmine kills 2 Azerbaijani journalists near Nagorno-Karabakh
New York, June 4, 2021 — In response to news reports that Azerbaijani journalists Maharram Ibrahimov and Siraj Abishev were killed by a landmine in Azerbaijan today, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The killing of journalists Maharram Ibrahimov and Siraj Abishev in the Kalbajar district of Azerbaijan today was a needless…
Bosnia and Herzegovina columnist Dragan Bursać and Montenegro journalist Darko Šuković receive death threats
Berlin, June 4, 2021 — Authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro should swiftly and thoroughly investigate threats made to journalists Dragan Bursać and Darko Šuković and ensure their safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 26, a Facebook user named “Marko Aprcovic” sent death threats to Bursać, a Bosnia-based columnist for…
Unknown assailants shoot at the house and car of Arab Israeli journalist Hassan Shelan
New York, June 3, 2021 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the shooting attack on the home and car of Arab Israeli journalist Hassan Shelan and called on Israeli authorities to hold the perpetrators to account. At 2 a.m. today, two masked gunmen fired dozens of bullets at the house and car of…
Ecuadorian journalist Calixto Zambrano survives shooting
Bogotá, June 3, 2021 – Ecuadorian authorities should thoroughly investigate the shooting of journalist Calixto Zambrano and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 7:30 p.m. on May 28, two unidentified men on a motorcycle approached Zambrano as he was returning to his home in the western town of…
Romanian prosecutors question Newsweek and Libertatea employees over corruption reporting
Berlin, June 3, 2021 — Romanian authorities should stop summoning journalists for questioning over their work, and local officials should not pursue criminal cases against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since May 20, prosecutors at the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, a judiciary agency tasked with investigating…
Mexican reporter Luis Aguilar survives knife attack in Pénjamo
Mexico City, June 3, 2021 – Mexican authorities must quickly and thoroughly investigate the recent attack on reporter Luis Raúl Aguilera Pérez and guarantee his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 2:30 a.m. on May 21, an unidentified man attacked Aguilera with a knife as he returned to his home in…
Uzbek foreign ministry refuses to renew accreditation of Polish journalist Agnieszka Pikulicka
Stockholm, June 2, 2021 – The Uzbek foreign ministry should immediately renew the press accreditation of Polish journalist Agnieszka Pikulicka and ensure that all journalists are free to report without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan rejected the application of Pikulicka, a freelance…
Belarus sentences reporter Hlafira Zhuk to jail, authorities continue to harass journalists
Vilnius, Lithuania, June 2, 2021 — Belarusian authorities should release journalist Hlafira Zhuk immediately and cease harassing members of the press over their news coverage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 31, the Maskouski District Court in Minsk, the capital, sentenced Zhuk, a correspondent for the independent news website Narodnaya Volya, to 30…
Botswana police charge Moeladilotlhoko News Boiler staff with criminal trespass
Lusaka, June 2, 2021 – Botswana authorities should immediately drop the criminal charges against two journalists and three media workers at the Moeladilotlhoko News Boiler and cease harassing members of the press and seizing their devices, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The five are expected in court this month in connection to a case dating…
Zimbabwe court denies bail to NY Times freelancer Jeffrey Moyo, claiming national security threat
New York, June 2, 2021 – Zimbabwe authorities should not contest journalist Jeffrey Moyo’s appeal of a recent ruling denying him bail, and should drop the criminal case against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 31, a court in the city of Bulawayo denied Moyo’s bail request, and ordered him to…