Indian police open criminal investigation into The Wire and 3 journalists
New Delhi, June 16, 2021 — Authorities in India’s Uttar Pradesh state must immediately drop their criminal investigation into journalists Rana Ayyub, Saba Naqvi, and Mohammed Zubair, and the independent news website The Wire, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, Uttar Pradesh police filed a criminal complaint stating that they were opening a…
CPJ calls on Indian authorities to release journalist Siddique Kappan, drop all charges
New Delhi, June 16, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed the decision by a court in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district to drop a breach of peace charge against journalist Siddique Kappan, and urged authorities to drop all other charges against him and release him immediately. “The Mathura court’s…
Pakistan: Press freedom organizations demand re-investigation of the murder of journalist Zubair Mujahid
Amsterdam, 16 June 2021 – A new report on the murder of Pakistani journalist Zubair Mujahid finds significant errors in the official police investigation. Leading press freedom organizations now call for an independent re-investigation of the case to bring the killers to justice. The report “Breaking the Silence: An Investigation into the Murder of Zubair…
Why authoritarian governments force journalists like Belarus’s Raman Pratasevich into public confessions
Forced confessions—sometimes tied to public humiliation—have a long and inglorious history, and were a fundamental component of ancient judicial systems in the East and West. Obtaining a confession, by any means, for centuries was often a key part of achieving a conviction and meting out punishment. At the Salem witch trials, the accused could escape…
CPJ welcomes release of American editor Nathan Maung in Myanmar
Bangkok, June 15, 2021 – In response to Myanmar authorities’ decision today to release editor Nathan Maung from custody and deport him to the United States, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “While we welcome Nathan Maung’s release from prison in Myanmar, he never should have been detained in the first place,”…
Indian journalist Sulabh Srivastava dies 1 day after filing complaint over threats
New Delhi, June 15, 2021 — Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh must conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the death of journalist Sulabh Srivastava, and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On the evening of June 13, Srivastava, a reporter with the…
Indian journalist Ganji Raghu arrested for alleged rioting
New Delhi, June 9, 2021 — Authorities in the Indian state of Telangana should immediately release journalist Ganji Raghu and drop any criminal investigation into his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 3, masked men in plain clothes grabbed Raghu, a reporter with the news website Tolivelugu, outside his home in…
Chinese journalist Lü Gengsong’s health deteriorating in prison
Taipei, June 8, 2021 – Chinese authorities must release imprisoned journalist Lü Gengsong immediately, and ensure that he receives necessary medical care, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Lü’s health has deteriorated while in prison, according to a report by the Chinese human rights news website Minsheng Guancha (Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch) and…
Afghan TV anchor Mina Khairi killed in car bomb attack
Washington, D.C., June 7, 2021 — Afghan authorities should launch a thorough and credible investigation into the killing of journalist Mina Khairi, determine if she was targeted for her work, and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On the evening of June 3, in Kabul, the capital, unidentified attackers…