Mexican journalists shot, beaten as police disperse protest in Cancún
In the evening of November 9, 2020, at least two reporters received gunshot wounds and at least two others were beaten, as state police dispersed a protest the reporters were covering in the city of Cancún, in Quintana Roo state in southern Mexico. The police used live ammunition to shoot in the air, according to…
Iraqi Kurdish security forces raid NRT headquarters, suspend broadcasts
New York, December 8, 2020 – Kurdish Iraqi authorities must reverse their suspension of local broadcaster NRT and allow the outlet to reopen its office and work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Early yesterday morning, security forces affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan political party raided NRT’s headquarters in the northeastern…
Two journalists detained in Mali for weeks over criticism of judiciary
New York, December 8, 2020 — Malian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Adama Diarra and Seydou Oumar Traoré from custody and allow them to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 20, Diarra, also known as Vieux Blen, received a summons from Mali’s Judicial Investigations Brigade, a local law…
Two men threaten to kill journalists at Croatian outlet over coverage of wedding amid coronavirus
Berlin, December 8, 2020 — Croatian authorities must quickly and thoroughly investigate the threats made to journalists at the Zadarski.hr website and Slobodna Dalmacija newspaper, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about noon on December 1, in the coastal city of Zadar, two men wearing surgical masks…
US immigration agency subpoenas BuzzFeed News, seeking information on source
Editors’ Note: In a December 9 email to CPJ following the publication of this article and BuzzFeed News’ refusal to comply with the subpoena, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said, “ICE will not enforce the summons and will pursue the investigation through other channels.” Washington, D.C., December 8, 2020 – U.S. Immigration and Customs…
CPJ to release annual list of journalists imprisoned worldwide
New York, December 8, 2020–The Committee to Protect Journalists will release its annual census of journalists imprisoned worldwide on December 15, 2020. The census lists journalists jailed as of midnight on December 1, 2020, and indicates the country where held, charge, and medium of work in each case. The census does not include the many…
Turkish journalist Ayşegül Doğan sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison
Istanbul, December 7, 2020 – Turkish authorities should not contest journalist Ayşegül Doğan’s appeal, and should cease filing terrorism charges against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, the Ninth Court of Serious Crimes, in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır, convicted Doğan of membership in a terrorist organization, and sentenced…
Colombian TV station employees flee country amid threats from FARC militants
Bogotá, Colombia, December 7, 2020 – Colombian authorities should thoroughly investigate death threats received by Caracol TV employees and ensure they can work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 16, Arlex Piedrahita, a camera operator with the news broadcaster Caracol TV, fled to the United States with his family after he…
‘The Cartel Project’ investigates crimes against reporters in Mexico
Forbidden Stories—a network of journalists whose mission is to continue the work of reporters who are threatened, censored, or killed—yesterday published a new investigation into the murder of Mexican journalist Regina Martínez. The report, part of five-part series about the killings of reporters in Mexico, lays bare serious flaws in the investigation in a context…
Uttar Pradesh journalist dies after alleged arson attack
New Delhi, December 4, 2020 — Police in India’s Uttar Pradesh state must thoroughly investigate the death of journalist Rakesh Singh and ensure that those responsible are swiftly prosecuted, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 28, Singh, a journalist with a local Hindi newspaper Rashtriya Swaroop, died from burn injuries after his house…