2016
Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian is free, Iran news outlet says
EDITOR’S NOTE: This alert was updated at 01:23 p.m. Saturday to reflect U.S. officials confirming Jason Rezaian has been freed. New York, January 16, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release today of Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, who spent 544 days in prison in Iran. Rezaian was freed as part of a prisoner…
Press trying to cover politics in Uganda face restrictions, attacks
January 15, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that journalists in Uganda are being prevented from freely covering Parliament and campaigning for next month’s presidential elections. The government announced this week that journalists without a university qualification will be barred from covering parliament, according to local reports. Journalists have also reported being attacked and…
Journalists arrested without charge in Djibouti
New York, January 15, 2016 – Officials in Djibouti should immediately release two journalists arrested this week, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police arrested Kadar Abdi Ibrahim on Thursday, and arrested Mohamed Ibrahim Waiss on Monday, but have yet to charge either, according to the Facebook page of a local publication.
Egypt sentences journalists to prison for ‘publishing false news’
New York, January 13, 2016 — The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday condemned a Cairo court’s sentencing of three journalists and one press freedom advocate to three years in prison each on charges of “publishing false news” and belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.
CPJ condemns grenade attack on offices of Pakistani broadcaster
New York, January 13, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a grenade attack on the Islamabad offices of Pakistani broadcaster ARY News today. A video editor, Umar Hayat, was wounded in the attack, and windows at the front of the building were damaged when two men on motorcycles threw a grenade at the offices, Ammad…
Two Kurdish journalists jailed in southeast Turkey
Istanbul, January 12, 2016–Turkish authorities should immediately release two Kurdish journalists jailed in southeast Turkey since last week and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The arrests follow the detentions of at least three other journalists working for pro-Kurdish news outlets in December.
Unknown gunmen kill two Iraqi journalists
New York, January 12, 2016–Unknown gunmen shot to death two journalists working for the independent Al-Sharqiya TV station in Iraq today, according to the channel and news reports. The attack marks the first killings of journalists to be documented by the Committee to Protect Journalists in 2016.
Kenyan journalist arrested
Kenyan police arrested journalist Elijah Kinyanjui Maina in the town of Nakuru, roughly 160 kilometres (99 miles) northwest of Nairobi, on January 12, 2016, and released him that evening, according to news reports. Maina is managing editor of the website Nakuru County News, which focuses on local news.
Indonesia denies media visa for France 24 reporter
Bangkok, January 12, 2016 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Indonesia’s refusal to issue a media visa to French journalist Cyril Payen. The Bangkok-based senior reporter for France 24 television received notice of the denial from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs without explanation on Friday, he told CPJ.
Iran arrests journalists, bans newspaper ahead of elections
New York, January 11, 2016–Iranian authorities should immediately release Farzad Pourmoradi, Meysam Mohammadi, and all journalists detained for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Authorities should furthermore lift the ban on the daily newspaper Bahar, CPJ said. The arrests and the ban on the newspaper come ahead of legislative elections scheduled to…