Asia

Contact CPJ Asia

Twitter: @cpjasia
Facebook: CPJ Asia Desk
Program Coordinator:
Beh Lih Yi

Researcher:
Sonali Dhawan

Tel: 212-465-1004
Fax: 212-214-0640

Knight Foundation Press Freedom Center
P.O. Box 2675
New York, NY 10108 USA

  
Truong Huy San, a well-known political commentator and author, was apprehended by the police on June 1 in the capital Hanoi while traveling to an event where he was scheduled to speak, according to news reports. (Screenshot: YouTube/RFI)

Vietnamese journalist Truong Huy San sentenced to 30 months in prison

Bangkok, February 27, 2025—Hanoi’s People’s Court sentenced Vietnamese journalist Truong Huy San to 30 months in prison on Thursday under a criminal provision that bars “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe on the interests of the State.” San, a well-known political commentator and author also known by his pen names Huy Duc and Osin, was convicted…

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Sai Zaw Thaike (Sai Zaw) of Myanmar Now

Myanmar journalist Sai Zaw Thaike repeatedly beaten, abused in prison

Bangkok, February 26, 2025—Myanmar’s military government must immediately end the physical abuse of imprisoned Myanmar Now photojournalist Sai Zaw Thaike, which appears to be in retaliation for his exposure of the mistreatment of inmates, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Sai Zaw Thaike, who was sentenced to 20 years for sedition in 2023, has…

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Truong Huy San, a well-known political commentator and author, was apprehended by the police on June 1 in the capital Hanoi while traveling to an event where he was scheduled to speak, according to news reports. (Screenshot: YouTube/RFI)

Vietnamese journalist Truong Huy San indicted for ‘abusing democratic freedoms’

Bangkok, February 18, 2025—Vietnam must drop all charges against jailed prominent journalist Truong Huy San over his personal Facebook posts and stop using legal threats to intimidate the independent media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. The government is prosecuting San under Article 331 of the penal code, which outlaws “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe on…

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Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh's interim government, speaks to members of the media at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit on November 13, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo: AP/Sergei Grits)

Bangladesh journalists face threats from attacks, investigations, and looming cyber laws

New York, February 14, 2025— Six months after a mass uprising ousted the increasingly autocratic administration of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladeshi journalists continue to be threatened and attacked for their work, along with facing new fears that planned legislation could undermine press freedom. Bangladesh’s interim government — established amid high hopes of political…

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An Afghan money changer holding banknotes speaks with a customer at a currency exchange market in Kabul in January, following the decline in the afghani currency against US dollars.

Taliban ban domestic political and economic broadcasts in Afghanistan

New York, February 14, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Taliban to reverse Thursday’s ban on the broadcast of political and economic programs by domestic Afghan outlets. The Ministry of Information and Culture issued a verbal directive to media executives in the capital Kabul on February 13, stating that organizations may only address…

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Nepalese lawmakers

CPJ: Nepal lawmakers should reject social media bill threatening press freedom

New York, February 14, 2025—The Nepalese government should withdraw a recently introduced social media bill that is expected to undermine press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. “Nepal’s proposed social media law is ripe for misuse against journalists reporting on critical topics of public interest,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi….

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen upon her arrival at the G20 Summit in New Delhi in 2023.

CPJ, partners call on European Commission to hold India to account over rights crisis

On February 13, CPJ joined 11 other organizations in calling on the European Commission to step up its engagement with the Indian authorities over human rights, including press freedom, during its upcoming visit to the country. The European Commission is seeking to strengthen its partnership with India, at a time when the government has been…

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Sri Lankan top prosecutor seeks to discharge key suspects in journalist’s murder

New York, February 6, 2025—Sri Lankan authorities must ensure those responsible for the 2009 murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge are held to account and take decisive steps to put an end to the country’s alarming record of impunity in journalist killings, said the Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday.  “Justice must be served in journalists’ killings,” said CPJ Asia…

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This picture taken on November 28, 2021, shows a woman working at Radio Begum in Kabul, Afghanistan. Taliban agents raided the station on February 4, 2025, suspended broadcast operations, and detained two media workers. (Photo: AFP/Hector Retamal)

Taliban detains 2 media workers, suspends women-run broadcaster Radio Begum

New York, February 6, 2025—Taliban intelligence agents raided the Kabul station of Radio Begum on Tuesday, February 4, suspended broadcast operations, detained two unidentified media workers, and confiscated documents and essential broadcasting equipment, including computers, hard drives, and mobile devices. The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture accused the outlet of “non-compliance” with regulations and…

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Members of the media work outside a building having BBC offices, where income tax officials are conducting a search, in New Delhi, India, February 14, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

India revokes nonprofit and tax status of news outlets

New Delhi, Feb 4, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Indian government to end its weaponization of regulatory measures targeting independent journalism following a decision to revoke The Reporters’ Collective’s nonprofit status and the tax exempt status of The File. “Journalism is a public service. The Indian government should not abuse regulatory processes to target investigative journalism,”…

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