Scores of journalists harassed, detained amid Egypt protests
New York, April 25, 2016–Egyptian authorities should immediately cease detaining and harassing journalists, and allow them to do their jobs, including allowing them to cover street protests, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Mexican reporter shot to death in Guerrero state
Mexico City, April 25, 2016 – Mexican journalist Francisco Pacheco Beltrán was shot to death in front of his home in the city of Taxco, Guerrero state, on Monday, according to local press reports. Pacheco was a reporter for several regional newspapers and a regular contributor to a radio station.
CPJ condemns murder of Bangladeshi LGBT journalist
New York, April 25, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder today of Bangladeshi journalist Xulhaz Mannan. The senior editor at gay rights magazine Roopbaan, who also worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development, was stabbed to death at his home in Dhaka alongside a friend, according to reports. A third person, described…
CPJ urges Kyrgyzstan to release Azimjon Askarov
New York, April 25, 2016–Kyrgyz authorities should immediately and fully comply with the U.N. Human Rights Committee’s calls to free imprisoned journalist Azimjon Askarov, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Court announced in a statement on its website today that if Askarov requests a review of his case, the Kyrgyz constitution obliges…
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of April 24
Erdoğan says response to “sleaze” of EU’s press-freedom criticism beneath his dignity “Providing an answer to this worthlessness and sleaze would not be very appropriate for the president of Turkey,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters in Croatia yesterday, responding to EU Parliament President Martin Shulz’s criticisms of Turkey’s crackdown on the press, the…
CPJ concerned by reports of Egyptian accusations against Reuters
New York, April 22, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by reports in the Egyptian media that authorities have accused Reuters of “spreading false news” in a report on the death of an Italian student. The press reports could not be verified and Reuters said it had not received notification of legal action.
Staff of Somaliland newspapers face charges
Nairobi, April 22, 2016 – Authorities in Somaliland should immediately drop all legal charges against journalists for their work and ensure that they can do their jobs without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At least three journalists in the semi-autonomous region are expected to stand trial on Saturday, while a…
Azerbaijani authorities open criminal investigation into Meydan TV
New York, April 22, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Azerbaijani authorities to end the harassment of Meydan TV after a criminal investigation was opened into the online independent outlet and a travel ban was imposed on some of its contributors.
Mauritanian appeals court upholds death sentence for blogger
New York, April 21, 2016– An appeals court in Nouadhibou today upheld the death sentence for Mauritanian blogger and freelance journalist Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed, who was convicted of apostasy in 2014 for an article he wrote, according to news reports.
Kyrgyzstan must free jailed journalist Azimjon Askarov, UN committee says
In a milestone decision announced today in Geneva, the U.N. Human Rights Committee called on Kyrgyzstan to immediately release Azimjon Askarov, a journalist sentenced to life in prison in September 2010. The U.N. body issued its decision after reviewing a complaint filed in November 2012 by Askarov’s lawyer, Nurbek Toktakunov, and a team of experts…