After six years, Al-Jazeera cameraman freed from Guantanamo
New York, May 1, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release today of an Al-Jazeera cameraman who was held for six years without charge or trial at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Al-Jazeera reported late this afternoon that Sami al-Haj had been freed and was on a plane that was expected…
Two Sudanese editors held overnight; others summoned
New York, February 20, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the overnight detention of two Sudanese editors over articles they published on Sudan’s police force. The Khartoum state security prosecutor’s office summoned Sid Ahmed Khalifa, editor in chief of the daily Al-Watan, around 10 p.m. on Monday and questioned him about an article…
Attacks on the Press 2007: Middle East and North Africa Snapshots
AlgeriaBahrainJordanKuwaitLibyaMauritaniaSudan Syria ALGERIA • Authorities arrested Kamel Bousaad, editor of the pro-Islamist weekly Errissala, on February 8 and Berkane Bouderbala, managing editor of the weekly Essafir, on February 11, after their newspapers published controversial Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The editors faced charges under Article 144 of the penal code for insulting the Prophet…
Attacks on the Press 2007: Sudan
SUDAN Despite free speech protections built into Sudan’s 2005 interim constitution, authorities operated as if a state of emergency were still in force. Newspaper suspensions, criminal charges, and detentions were a routine part of working as a journalist in Sudan. When trying to cover one of the world’s biggest stories—the genocide in Darfur—reporters faced high…
Sudan: Journalists detained for nearly a week
New York, June 19, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the ongoing detention of four Sudanese reporters, now held for nearly a week after attempting to report on deadly clashes between government forces and protestors in the country’s north. On June 13, Sudanese security forces detained reporters Ghadafi Abdul Muttalib of the daily Al-Ayyam, Abu…
In Sudan, two editors accused of sedition
New York, February 14, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the recent detention of two Sudanese editors and the temporary closure of their newspaper after they interviewed religious militants last week. At around midnight on February 7, a Sudanese security officer visited the home of Adil Sid Ahmed, deputy editor-in-chief of the…