Magnus Ag
Assistant Advocacy Director Magnus Ag is a New York-based human rights advocate and journalist. Prior to joining CPJ in 2010, Ag worked as head of section in the Danish Ministry for Science, Technology, and Innovation. He holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in political science from the University of Copenhagen. He speaks English, Danish, and Norwegian. Contact him here or follow him on Twitter @AgMagnus.
Laureano Márquez, Venezuela
2010 CPJ International Press Freedom Awardee CPJ/Rodney Lamkey Jr. If there were an Algonquin Round Table in Caracas, Laureano Márquez would have a seat. Journalist, author, actor, and humorist, Márquez has found rich fodder in Venezuela’s idiosyncratic political landscape. He is the scourge of left-wing President Hugo Chávez and other politicians for his biting columns…
Aryeh Neier, United States
2010 CPJ Burton Benjamin Memorial Award OSI CPJ will honor Aryeh Neier with the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award given for a lifetime of distinguished achievement in the cause of press freedom. Neier is a pillar of the U.S. and international human rights community. He spent 15 years with the American Civil Liberties Union, including eight…
In Yemen your journalism ID is a liability
In a commentary in the Guardian on September 29, CPJ’s Mohamed Abdel Dayem describes how new media restrictions, erected under the cover of state security, will snuff out what little remains of press freedom in Yemen. Dayem quotes a Yemeni journalist: “In Yemen, you conceal your identity as a journalist. Your journalism ID is a…
Ognianova: Kazakhstan’s broken promises
In a September 22 commentary in the Guardian of London, CPJ’s Nina Ognianova details Kazakhstan’s broken promises to reform its repressive press policies. Kazakhstan made the pledges in exchange for gaining chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or OSCE. In the Guardian, Ognianova calls on OSCE members to “remember and adhere…
CPJ Impact
News from the Committee to Protect Journalists, September 2010 With a push from CPJ, Jordan moves away from repressive cyber law Embracing a global trend, the Kingdom of Jordan, a relative bastion of press freedom in the Middle East, sought to enact a restrictive cyber crime law that would have criminalized “sending or posting data…
Simon: Japan should stand up for press freedom
On September 8, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun ran an op-ed by CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. Here is the English translation: Japan should stand up for press freedomBy Joel Simon Japan’s government has supported press freedom at home and defended Japanese journalists reporting in conflict…
Is the pen still mightier than the sword?
CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney is quoted in an article in MediaGlobal about the dangers faced by journalists when they expose societal ills and injustice. In the article entitled “Is the pen still mightier than the sword? The plight and protection of journalists” Mahoney tells how “Most journalists are targeted. They aren’t caught in a…
O’Brien: The Internet’s secret back door
In an article in Slate Magazine, CPJ Internet Advocacy Coordinator Danny O’Brien writes about how Web users in the United Arab Emirates have more to worry about than having just their BlackBerries cracked. “The UAE continues to wrestle with Research in Motion over government access to BlackBerry messages, threatening to ban the company’s services if it…
Lauría op-ed on Mexico in El País
In an op-ed in the Spanish newspaper El País, CPJ senior program coordinator for the Americas Carlos Lauría argues the wave of violence that has hit Mexico in the current war between powerful drug cartels has let to widespread self-censorship in Mexican media. Lauría describes how the situation has become untenable for reporters covering issues…
CPJ in the Philippines
Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator currently on a CPJ mission to the Philippines, writes in The Huffington Post about the Maguindanao massacre. On November 23, 2009, 32 journalists and media workers were killed in the single deadliest event for the press since 1992, when CPJ began keeping detailed records on journalist deaths. Now, nine…