Afghan journalist detained without explanation in Iran
New York, March 14, 2008—Iranian authorities should immediately disclose the legal status of Afghan journalist Ali Mohaqiq Nasab who was arrested in the north-central city of Qom 10 days ago, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Nasab, 50, was taken from his home on March 4 by three plainclothes police officers who were bearing…
Pentagon should disclose evidence, charges against Afghan journalist
New York, February 26, 2008—U.S. authorities should disclose evidence and specify charges against Afghan journalist Jawed Ahmad, who has been held by the military since late October, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In a February 22 letter to CPJ, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Ahmad had been designated an “unlawful enemy combatant” but…
Concern growing over Afghan journalist’s ongoing detention
New York, February 21, 2008—The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that the U.S. military is holding Canadian Television journalist (CTV) Jawed Ahmad, but refused to disclose any further information. The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned by Ahmad’s continuing detention at Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, in Afghanistan. Ahmad has been held…
Afghan journalist detained at Bagram Air Base
New York, February 18, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned by the detention of Canadian Television (CTV) journalist Jawed Ahmad by U.S. military forces at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, for almost three months without charge. Ahmad, who is also known as Jojo Yazemi and is about 22 years old, was detained in…
Positive signs from Afghan officials, but Kambakhsh still faces death
Positive signs from Afghan officials, but Kambakhsh still faces death New York, February 6, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists cautiously welcomes signs today that the authorities in Afghanistan are responding to pressure to commute the death sentence young journalist Parwez Kambakhsh faces for alleged blasphemy. Afghanistan’s Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak told journalists in Estonia…
Attacks on the Press 2007: Asia Analysis
Amid South Asian Conflict, Remarkable ResilienceBy Bob DietzTraffic is sparse during a late-night run to the Bandaranaike International Airport north of the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo. Because of insecurity caused by war between the Sinhalese-dominated government and Tamil separatists in the country’s north and east, the streets are given over to police and army checkpoints.…
Attacks on the Press 2007: Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN Six years after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, journalists were increasingly pessimistic about the future. The personal tragedies of several Afghan journalists illustrated how much the press situation had worsened amid political disarray, faltering security, and human rights abuses. Despite the adversity, domestic news media remained plentiful and assertive.
CPJ asks Karzai to intervene in Afghan death sentence
Dear President Karzai: The Committee to Protect Journalists has been closely monitoring the case of Parwez Kambakhsh, the journalism student who was sentenced to death on blasphemy charges by the provincial court in Balkh province. We are disturbed that the upper house of Afghanistan’s parliament gave their public support to this verdict today, according to The Associated Press and the BBC.
CPJ condemns Afghan’s death sentence
New York, January 23, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled by the death sentence given to a young journalist by a court in northern Afghanistan yesterday. The court in Balkh province sentenced 23-year-old Parwez Kambakhsh in a closed-door trial without a defense attorney present, according to local press freedom advocate Rahimullah Samander, president of…