Guide to legal rights in the U.S.
The following advice and recommendations are intended to give the reader a high-level understanding of the rights of a journalist when confronted by law enforcement officers while covering a protest or other political event. Given that these incidents often quickly escalate and that some – both protestors and police – do not always conform to legal…
Kosovo journalist Ermal Panduri receives death threats following criticism of president
Berlin, September 10, 2020 — Kosovo authorities should conduct a quick and thorough investigation into the threats sent to journalist Ermal Panduri and ensure his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since September 8, dozens of Facebook users have sent threatening messages to Panduri, managing director of the privately owned Kosovo TV station…
At least 6 Iraq-based journalists with Dijlah TV resign, go into hiding following threats
New York, September 10, 2020 — Iraqi authorities must investigate the threats against employees of Dijlah TV and do their utmost to ensure they can work freely and without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since August 28, at least six reporters and camera operators working in Iraq for the Jordan-based…
Appeals court overturns murder convictions in 1999 killing of Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija
New York, September 9, 2020 – The Belgrade Appeals Court announced on September 7 that it had overturned the convictions of four former Serbian State Security officers involved in the 1999 killing of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, according to news reports. “CPJ is troubled and disappointed by a Serbian court’s decision to overturn the convictions of…
Belarusian authorities continue to arrest, obstruct journalists covering protests
Vilnius, Lithuania, September 8, 2020 — Belarusian authorities should immediately release all journalists detained while covering nationwide protests, return their property, and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since yesterday, authorities have ordered the detention of at least two journalists, raided a journalist’s home, and fined two freelance reporters,…
Australia’s journalist union on Facebook, Google, and who should pay for news
Facebook threatened to prevent Australian users and publishers from posting news on its platform last week, raising questions about who benefits when people share journalism on social media—and who has the power to stop them. The company was responding to drafts of a news media bargaining code and related legislation published on July 31 by…
Turkish journalist Oktay Candemir charged with ‘insulting’ deceased sultan in satirical tweet
Istanbul, September 8, 2020 – Turkish authorities should immediately return the confiscated property of journalist Oktay Candemir and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, police in the eastern city of Van arrested Candemir, a freelance journalist who writes columns for the pro-Kurdish news website Nupel, at his home,…
Australian journalists flee China; government restricts visas for foreign reporters
Taipei, September 8, 2020 – Chinese authorities should end their intimidation of international journalists and let all media operate freely and without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, Bill Birtles, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Beijing correspondent, and Mike Smith, Shanghai correspondent for the Australian Financial Review, left China for Australia…
InSight Crime’s Héctor Silva Avalos subject of alleged investigation, presidential tweets
Managua, September 4, 2020 – Salvadoran authorities should make public any details about an alleged criminal investigation into InSight Crime journalist Héctor Silva Ávalos and stop using official social media channels to criticize and harass independent journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 1, Salvadoran news website La Página published an article…
Egypt detains 2 journalists, including 1 with COVID-19 who was quarantined, now hospitalized
New York, September 4, 2020 – Egyptian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Hany Greisha and El-Sayed Shehta and stop arresting journalists during a global pandemic, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 26, security forces arrested Greisha, an editor at the privately owned news website Youm7, at his home in Giza,…