World Press Freedom Day: 10 Journalists to Free from Prison
Anti-state activity is the most used charge against journalists New York, April 29, 2014–As World Press Freedom Day approaches, journalists are languishing in prisons across the globe. Uzbek editor Muhammad Bekjanov has been in jail for 15 years–one of the longest imprisonments of journalists worldwide. Prominent Iranian journalist Siamak Ghaderi has been beaten and whipped…
A message from son of Vietnam blogger Nguyen Van Hai
In preparation for today’s Congressional Briefing on Media Freedom in Vietnam, organized by members of the U.S. House of Representatives and featuring a panel of Vietnamese bloggers and others, CPJ has been in close contact with the family of Nguyen Van Hai, a blogger who has been in jail since 2008. We have also met…
Chinese journalist Gao Yu is missing
On April 15, 1989, Hu Yaobang died. Hu had been general secretary of the Communist Party from 1982 to 1987, and recognized for his leanings toward economic reform in China. His death led to demonstrations around China, some of them in Tiananmen Square. On June 4, 1989, Tiananmen became the focus of the government’s wrath, and…
Ethiopia jails nine journalists, renews press crackdown
Nairobi, April 28, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the Ethiopian government’s arrests of nine journalists in one of the worst crackdowns against free expression in the country.”With the latest arrests, Ethiopian authorities are turning the peaceful exercise of free expression into a crime,” said CPJ East Africa Representative Tom Rhodes.On Sunday, a…
Two journalists freed, one still in custody in eastern Ukraine
New York, April 25, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of two journalists in eastern Ukraine and calls for the release of a third journalist who has not been heard from since April 15. Sergei Lefter, reporter for the Warsaw-based Open Dialogue Foundation, is reportedly in custody of pro-Russian separatists led by Vyacheslav…
Russia’s bloggers to face stifling restrictions under new law
CPJ called on President Vladimir Putin to veto a new bill that would subject popular bloggers to the same restrictions as traditional media in Russia. The bill was approved by Russia’s parliament, the State Duma, in a final reading today. The bill would apply to blogs with more than 3,000 daily visitors. The Huffington Post Blog referenced…
Cameroonian journalist’s car destroyed in explosion
New York, April 24, 2014–An investigative journalist in Cameroon told CPJ today that his car had been destroyed in an explosion early this morning. Denis Nkwebo said the car was parked outside his house in the commercial capital of Douala, and that no one was hurt in the explosion. Nkwebo, an editor of the leading private…
Halftime for the Brazilian press
CPJ to release report on press freedom, internet freedom, impunity, and censorship in Brazil New York, April 24, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists will release a special report on the press freedom climate in Brazil as the country gears up to host the World Cup this summer, followed by the Olympics in 2016. The report…
Bomb detonates outside journalist’s home in Peru
Bogotá, April 24, 2014–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Tuesday’s attack on the home of Peruvian journalist Yofré López Sifuentes and calls on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and hold the perpetrators to account. Lopez was unhurt after a bomb exploded, but his parents were injured, according to news reports.
Video: CPJ warns of impunity in Iraqi Kurdistan
On Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists expressed its concerns over the press freedom climate in Iraqi Kurdistan at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. where we launched our special report, “Mountain of impunity looms over Kurdistan journalists.” You can watch a video of the press conference here.