New Greek criminal code amendment threatens journalists with jail for spreading ‘false’ information
Berlin, December 8, 2021 — Greek lawmakers should revoke an amendment to the country’s criminal code that threatens journalists with prison sentences for spreading what the prosecution deems “false” information, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 11, 2021, Greek lawmakers approved an amendment to Article 191 of the country´s criminal code that…
US Summit for Democracy must address threats to press freedom
New York, December 8, 2021—On the eve of the U.S. government’s inaugural Summit for Democracy, the Committee to Protect Journalists reiterated that support for press freedom is critical to reversing the decline of democracy worldwide. “Journalists are being attacked and thrown in jail in record numbers for doing their jobs, so this meeting can’t be…
New libel complaint against Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa
New York, December 7, 2021 – As Maria Ressa flies to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, the #HoldtheLine Coalition has condemned ongoing State-linked legal harassment of the Nobel Laureate after new libel complaints were filed against Ressa’s Rappler and six other news organizations – by a senior member of the Philippine cabinet. The complaints…
Two Myanmar journalists injured, arrested while covering anti-military protest
Bangkok, December 7, 2021 – Myanmar authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalists Kaung Sett Lin and Hmu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun, who were arrested after sustaining injuries covering anti-military protests, and ensure that those responsible for injuring the journalists are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Authorities arrested photojournalist…
Ahead of Nobel Prize, #HoldTheLine Coalition Demands Charges Against Maria Ressa be Dropped
New York, December 2, 2021 – One week ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, the #HoldtheLine Coalition calls on the government of the Philippines to drop all pending cases and charges against veteran journalist and Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and grant her unrestricted permission to travel to Oslo to accept this prestigious international…
Sri Lanka army soldiers attack Tamil journalist covering commemoration for civil war dead
Washington, D.C., December 2, 2021 — Sri Lanka authorities must immediately open a new, impartial investigation into the attack on freelance journalist Vishwalingam Vishwachandran and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 27, a group of soldiers with the Sri Lanka army allegedly beat Vishwachandran, who contributes to…
Iraqi police arrest Al-Ahd TV reporter Hamid Majed after luring him to police station
New York, December 2, 2021 — Iraqi authorities must immediately release Al-Ahd TV reporter Hamid Majed and allow journalists to work freely and without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On December 1, Colonel Tareq Imad, director of the Anbar Crime Directorate in the central Iraqi city of Habbaniyah, phoned Majed,…
CPJ welcomes convictions in retrial for Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija’s murder
New York, December 2, 2021 – In a retrial today, the Higher Court in Belgrade convicted four former Serbian state security officers of the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, owner of the mass-circulation Dnevni Telegraf, Serbia’s first private daily, and the weekly magazine Evropljanin, independent regional news website Balkan Insight reported. Ćuruvija, 51, was…
CPJ to release annual report on journalists imprisoned and killed globally
New York, December 1, 2021– On December 9, 2021, the Committee to Protect Journalists will release its annual census and global analysis of journalists imprisoned or killed during the year. These numbers have reached record levels in recent years and the report will reveal which governments are the worst jailers of reporters, the developments that…
Clarín media group offices firebombed in Argentina
Miami, November 30, 2021 — Argentine authorities must thoroughly investigate the recent attack on the Clarín media group headquarters and bring all those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 11 p.m. on November 22, a group of assailants threw several explosives into the Buenos Aires headquarters of the Clarín…