Indian authorities arrest 2 journalists covering corruption allegations in West Bengal
New Delhi, July 13, 2020 – West Bengal authorities must immediately release journalists Suraj Ali Khan and Safikul Islam, as well as Islam’s wife, Alima Khatun, and drop all the charges against them and investigations into their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 3 a.m. on June 29, police arrested Khan…
Egyptian journalist Mohamed Monir dies after contracting COVID-19 in pretrial detention
Washington, D.C., July 13, 2020 — In response to the death of Egyptian journalist Mohamed Monir after contracting COVID-19 in pretrial detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “We are extremely disturbed by journalist Mohamed Monir’s death today after he spent more than two weeks unnecessarily held in pretrial detention at Cairo’s…
Malaysia investigates Al-Jazeera reporters over documentary on migrant arrests
Bangkok, July 13, 2020 – Malaysian authorities should cease investigating Al-Jazeera staffers and stop using legal threats to harass the media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 10, Malaysian police interrogated six reporters and staff members of the Qatari broadcaster in relation to a July 3 documentary, “Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown,” aired…
CPJ announces 2020 International Press Freedom awardees
New York, July 13, 2020–The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor four courageous journalists from Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria, and Russia with the 2020 International Press Freedom Awards. All four have been arrested or faced criminal prosecution in reprisal for their reporting. CPJ will also honor lawyer Amal Clooney with the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award. …
Panama court freezes La Prensa’s assets amid defamation suit by former president
Managua, July 10, 2020 – Panamanian authorities should immediately restore Corporación La Prensa’s access to its financial assets, and ensure that legal actions do not censor the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 4, a Panamanian civil court ordered a freeze on the assets and bank accounts of Corporación La Prensa,…
Army bars journalists from reporting on Beirut’s Hamra Street, citing permit regulations
New York, July 10, 2020 – Lebanese authorities should allow journalists to report from Beirut’s Hamra street and other public areas in the country without seeking prior approval, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 6, two men who identified themselves as army intelligence officers stopped Charbel Abboud, a reporter for French public…
CPJ joins calls in support of OSCE media freedom representative Harlem Désir
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 28 other press freedom organizations yesterday in a letter expressing support for the renewal of the mandate of Harlem Désir, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Representative on Freedom of the Media. Désir’s mandate is set to expire on July 19; renewing his position for another three…
Philippine Congress denies ABS-CBN news broadcaster’s franchise renewal
Bangkok, July 10, 2020 – In response to a vote by a Philippine House of Representatives committee today to reject the renewal of the broadcasting franchise of ABS-CBN, the nation’s largest news organization, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Today’s congressional decision to reject ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal is an affront to Philippine…
Tanzania bans Kwanza Online TV for 11 months citing ‘misleading’ Instagram post on COVID-19
Nairobi, July 9, 2020 — Tanzania’s broadcasting regulator should immediately lift its suspension of Kwanza Online TV and stop weaponizing regulations against critical media outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 2, the Contents Committee of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority, a department within the country’s broadcast regulator, sent a letter to…
Journalists in India assaulted, targeted with investigations amid COVID-19 pandemic
Between April 5, 2020, and June 11, 2020, one journalist was assaulted by police, another had his property destroyed by local authorities in retaliation for his reporting, and at least five others were subject to criminal investigations and, in one case, an interrogation, according to interviews CPJ conducted with five of the journalists and media…