Journalists in Argentina’s Formosa province detained, harassed, and blocked from reporting
Since April 2020, authorities in Argentina’s northeastern Formosa province have harassed journalists covering the regional government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including through intimidation, brief detentions, and smear campaigns, according to journalists who spoke to CPJ, a statement by the Forum of Argentinian Journalism (FOPEA), a local free expression organization, and news reports. On April…
Unidentified armed men ransack home of Ethiopian journalist Lucy Kassa, question her about conflict coverage
On February 8, 2021, at about 10:30 a.m. in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, three armed men in plain clothes forced their way into the apartment of freelance reporter Lucy Kassa, searched her home, questioned her, and confiscated her reporting materials, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app and email,…
Journalists harassed, threatened with death over Ghana election coverage
At least five Ghanaian journalists were separately harassed or threatened with death over their coverage of the country’s December 7, 2020, general elections, according to news reports and journalists who spoke with CPJ by phone and messaging app. In mid-December 2020, following the elections, Kevin Taylor, the founder of the Loud Silence TV YouTube channel,…
Trinidad and Tobago High Court rules police raid on newspaper violated constitutional right of press freedom
On January 13, 2021, the Trinidad and Tobago High Court found that a police raid on the headquarters of the Daily Express newspaper the previous March was unconstitutional and infringed on the outlet’s right to press freedom, according to media reports and the court ruling. On March 11, 2020, a team of seven police officers…
Nigerian journalist Benjamin Anaja beaten, detained by security forces
On February 3, 2021, in Ikeja, the capital of Nigeria’s southwestern Lagos state, nine officers from the state Environmental Sanitation Corps assaulted and detained Benjamin Anaja, a reporter with the privately owned The Guild news website, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview, and a statement by the International Press…
Ugandan security personnel harass journalists, shut down radio station during elections
Between January 12 and January 20, 2021, Ugandan security personnel harassed and detained at least four journalists covering the country’s general elections, and shut down at least one radio station, according to a statement by the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda, a local human rights group, and journalists who spoke to CPJ. Ugandans voted in…
Peruvian journalist Erick Osores convicted of criminal defamation, given 1-year suspended prison term
On January 14, 2021, a Peruvian criminal court convicted journalist Erick Iván Osores Patiño of defamation and sentenced him to a one-year suspended prison term, according to news reports and Osores, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. Osores, a sports reporter for the Lima-based TV stations América Televisión and Canal N, told CPJ that…
Pakistani journalists charged with criminal defamation over tweets in sexual harassment case
On September 28, 2020, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency filed criminal defamation charges against Maham Javaid, a freelance journalist, and Haseem uz Zaman Khan, an editor and writer for the English-language news website of local broadcaster GEO News, along with seven others, for their involvement in an alleged “smear campaign” against the singer and actor Ali…
Journalists attacked, harassed, and threatened while covering Liberian senate election
In the days leading up to and following senatorial elections in Liberia on December 8, 2020, security forces and civilians attacked, harassed, and threatened members of the press, according to journalists who spoke with CPJ and a statement shared on Facebook by the Press Union of Liberia, a local trade group. On November 30, in…
Pakistan court suspends regulator’s ban on BOL News broadcaster
On January 22, 2021, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the country’s broadcast regulator, ordered BOL News, a privately owned news channel, to be suspended for 30 days and fined the outlet 1 million rupees (US$6,225), according to news reports and a statement by the regulator. On January 25, when courts reopened after the weekend,…