Taliban fighter beats freelance journalist Sadaqat Ghorzang at Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing
Washington, D.C., October 25, 2021– The Taliban must thoroughly investigate the beating of Sadaqat Ghorzang, ensure its forces do not attack members of the press, and commit to allowing the media to operate freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, a Taliban fighter patrolling the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and…
Myanmar prison release falls short with over 20 journalists still behind bars
Bangkok, October 25, 2021 – Myanmar’s military junta should immediately follow up its recent release of at least 15 jailed journalists by freeing all those still wrongfully held in detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 18, the country’s military government announced the release of over 5,600 prisoners in an amnesty on…
Mozambique police assault, repeatedly detain reporter Armando Nenane
On October 2, 2021, a group of police officers in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, detained and assaulted Armando Nenane, a reporter with the privately owned Imprensa Paralegal news agency, which distributes content to other news outlets, while he covered a road accident, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview and posted…
China’s Olympic press freedom pledges: Worthless in 2008, absent in 2022
Prospects for free-wheeling media coverage of the February Beijing Winter Olympics seem increasingly dim, not least because of the attitude of the International Olympic Committee. On October 13, John Coates, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, dismissed out of hand calls from CPJ, human rights groups, and US lawmakers to pressure Beijing over its…
CPJ and Foreign Press Association host press briefing on Nicaragua
New York, Oct 25, 2021–Ahead of the November 7 Nicaraguan general election, which is taking place amid increasingly dire circumstances for press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists will host a press briefing with the Foreign Press Association (FPA) on threats to journalists in the country. The need for timely and reliable information is heightened…
Taliban fighters assault at least 3 journalists covering women’s protest in Afghanistan
Washington, D.C., October 21, 2021 — The Taliban must thoroughly investigate attacks on journalists covering a protest today in Kabul and ensure that members of the press can cover issues of public interest without fear of assault and harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, Taliban fighters assaulted at least three journalists covering…
RFE/RL’s staff receive death threats ahead of Uzbekistan presidential election
New York, October 21, 2021 – Authorities in Uzbekistan should swiftly investigate threats received by employees of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and ensure that they can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 16, anonymous users of the Telegram messaging app sent dozens of death threats to…
Belarus police raid Novy Chas newspaper, interrogate at least 2 journalists
Vilnius, Lithuania, October 21, 2021 — Belarusian authorities should stop harassing independent journalists and refrain from charging or imprisoning members of the press over their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, police in Minsk raided the office of the independent weekly online newspaper Novy Chas and the home of at least one…
CPJ to release 2021 Global Impunity Index
New York, October 21, 2021–The Committee to Protect Journalists will publish its annual list of countries where journalists are murdered regularly and their killers go free on October 28, 2021. The launch of the report, “Killers of journalists still get away with murder: CPJ’s 2021 Global Impunity Index,” comes just days ahead of the International…
CPJ testifies at Helsinki Commission about press freedom threats in OSCE region
Freedom of the press is under severe threat across the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) region and the OSCE’s 57 participating states must do more to protect the safety of journalists, CPJ Deputy Executive Director Rob Mahoney told a United States Congress commission today. Appearing virtually at a hearing held by the…