Italian journalist abducted
New York, February 4, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the abduction of an Italian journalist today in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Gunmen seized Giuliana Sgrena, a reporter for the Rome-based Italian daily Il Manifesto, near Baghdad University, according to The Associated Press, which cited Italian and Iraqi officials.
CPJ protests newspapers’ suspension
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply disturbed that the Ministry of Justice suspended two Arabic-language weeklies. According to press reports and local journalists, intelligence agents notified the editors of the Oujda-based weeklies Al-Sharq and Al-Hayat Al-Maghribiya on January 18 that they were to cease publication of their weeklies immediately for three months on order of the ministry.
MOROCCO
JANUARY 18, 2005 Posted: February 2, 2005 Al-Sharq Al-Hayat Al-Maghribiya CENSORED Ali Lmrabet, freelance HARASSED According to press reports and local journalists, intelligence agents notified the editors of the Oujda-based weeklies Al-Sharq and Al-Hayat Al-Maghribiya that they were to cease publication of their weeklies immediately for three months on order of the ministry.
CPJ alarmed by criminal convictions of journalists
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by a series of criminal convictions handed down against several Yemeni newspaper editors and reporters in reprisal for their work. These convictions have severely undermined press freedom in Yemen.
Journalist remains missing in Iraq
New York, January 10, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the disappearance in Iraq of French journalist Florence Aubenas, who was last seen in Baghdad on January 5 with her Iraqi translator, Hussein al-Saad. According to press reports, Aubenas, who was in Iraq working for the French daily Libération, has not been heard…
SAUDI ARABIA
JANUARY 8, 2005 Posted: January 27, 2005 Mohamed al-Oshen, Al-Mohayed IMPRISONED Al-Oshen, editor-in-chief of the Riyadh-based Islamist weekly Al-Mohayed, was detained on January 8 by Saudi security forces. A local source told CPJ that Al-Mohayed had recently published material that harshly attacked the Saudi government, as well as articles that criticized it for not taking…
Al-Arabiya correspondent arrested after news report
New York, January 6, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly protests the arrest of a correspondent for news channel Al-Arabiya in Kuwait yesterday, shortly after the station aired a disputed report of clashes between Kuwaiti government forces and militants. Correspondent Adil Aidan remained in custody today after his arrest by Kuwaiti authorities, according to Al-Arabiya…