Christiane Amanpour, CPJ to testify before Congress on press freedom threats in US
New York, July 21, 2020—On Thursday, Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent and a CPJ senior adviser, and CPJ Advocacy Director Courtney Radsch will testify on threats to press freedom in the United States in front of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, better known as the Helsinki Commission. David Kaye, United Nations…
Journalist Matiullah Jan abducted in Pakistan 1 day before Supreme Court hearing
New York, July 21, 2020 – Pakistan authorities should conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the disappearance of journalist Matiullah Jan and ensure his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. This morning, several unidentified men intercepted Jan’s car in Islamabad’s G-6 Sector, forced him into another vehicle, and drove away, according to…
Liberian authorities attack, detain journalist Max Richards Jr.
Abuja, Nigeria, July 21, 2020 — Liberian authorities should investigate the attack and arrest of journalist Max M. Richards Jr. and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 9, in the northeastern city of Ganta, a group of about 15 officers with Liberia’s Drug Enforcement Agency attacked Richards…
Journalist Patricia Devlin on working in Northern Ireland: ‘I feel vulnerable and I feel threatened’
Over the past two years, crime and paramilitary and sectarian attacks have risen in Northern Ireland, fueled by economic stagnation, a power vacuum in the regional government, and the fallout from Brexit, according to news reports. In this climate, journalists are also increasingly at risk: freelance reporter Lyra McKee was killed in April 2019, and…
#HoldTheLine Coalition calls for criminal tax charge to be dropped as Maria Ressa returns to court
The #HoldTheLine Coalition demands the Philippines authorities drop a barrage of bogus tax and foreign ownership cases against internationally celebrated journalist Maria Ressa and Rappler – the news organisation she founded. “The prosecution of baseless financial charges and cases represents an attempt to use tax law and foreign ownership regulations as another weapon to criminalise…
Ukrainian journalist Katerina Sergatskova in hiding amid threats, doxing
New York, July 20, 2020 — Ukrainian authorities should ensure journalist Katerina Sergatskova’s safety and investigate the threats against her, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 11, Roman Skrypin, a local journalist, posted on Facebook–where he has more than 130,000 followers–a photo of Sergatskova, chief editor of independent news site Zaborona, along…
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono arrested, charged with incitement in Zimbabwe
New York, July 20, 2020 – Zimbabwean authorities should immediately release independent investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and drop the incitement charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 11 a.m. today, Chin’ono posted two short messages on his Twitter account, which are no longer available after his account was later deactivated,…
Prospects bleak for recovery of US media presence in China
The slugfest between China and the U.S. over the treatment of media workers in each country appears to have paused. Rather than expel each other’s journalists, as they did a few months ago, each side in early July imposed registration and reporting requirements on those remaining—still many more Chinese in the U.S. than Americans in…
Honduran journalist David Romero dies after contracting COVID-19 in jail
Managua, Nicaragua, July 19, 2020–Honduran journalist David Romero Ellner died yesterday around 7 a.m. of respiratory failure after contracting COVID-19 while imprisoned at the Támara National Penitentiary, according to newspaper La Prensa. Authorities had transferred Romero to the National Cardiopulmonary Institute on July 5, according to newspaper El Heraldo. “We are shocked and saddened by…
Nepal TV operators refuse to air Indian news channels following critical reports
From July 9 to 13, 2020, at least eight Nepalese cable and satellite operators stopped airing broadcasts from about 20 Indian news channels, following reports perceived to be critical of Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, according to news reports. The vice-chair of Nepalese cable company Max TV, Dhruba Sharma, said that on July…