CPJ Highlights: February edition
Press freedom in the US–and what CPJ’s doing about it CPJ continues to advocate for journalists and press freedom in the United States. In a February 25 op-ed published in The New York Times titled “Trump is damaging press freedom in the U.S. and abroad,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon argued that the U.S. administration’s…
Sustained threats to journalists’ safety demand fresh approach
CPJ launches Emergencies Response Team to promote and advance journalist safety New York, February 21, 2017–Much work remains to be done to improve journalists’ security in the face of unprecedented threats, including the spread of violent non-state actors, the shrinking rule of law, resurgent authoritarianism, and an industry shift toward reliance on freelancers, the Committee…
CPJ Newsletter: Exhibit of jailed photographer’s work moves to Photoville, journalist released from jail, and we join our partners at the UN
October edition Next stop for exhibit of Shawkan’s work: Photoville In mid-September, CPJ partnered with the Bronx Documentary Center to hold an exhibition of photographs taken by Mahmoud Abou Zeid, or Shawkan, a freelance journalist who has been imprisoned in Egypt since August 2013. Many of Shawkan’s photos–from protests and celebrations in Tahrir Square to…
My Islamic State Social Network
My first conversation with Islamic State was about my reporting. I had just shared an article I’d written about the terrorist group recruiting Western fighters on my Twitter when I saw that someone using the Twitter handle Abu Omar had also posted a link to the piece on his own account. His profile photo unabashedly…
Kidnapping for profit or propaganda: How hostage risk for journalists is on the rise
From Central America to North Africa, kidnappings are on the rise and journalists are among the groups at risk of being abducted. Adding to the challenges of dealing with a hostage situation is a lack of solid information about kidnappings worldwide, or a united international response in dealing with the demands of kidnap groups.
Protecting Journalists Covering Conflict
It’s dangerous being a reporter, and freelancers and local journalists are particularly vulnerable, which is why CPJ is a founding member of the ACOS Alliance, which stands for ‘A Culture of Safety’ and promotes the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles. News organizations and press groups have signed up to a list of principles designed to improve…
Don’t Forget Rasool: In international reporting, local journalists often suffer
When two journalists from VICE, Jake Hanrahan and Philip Pendlebury, were arrested with Iraqi journalist Mohammed Ismael Rasool on August 28, a familiar scenario unfolded. A week later, Hanrahan and Pendlebury were released following a media flurry and worldwide attention. Still behind bars is Rasool, an experienced journalist and translator who had worked extensively in…
Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, Syria
In April 2014, around 17 Syrian activists set out to document the abuses of Islamic State after the militant group took over and declared the northern city of Raqqa to be the caliphate’s capital. Additional Content Acceptance Speech Newseum Interview The activists, working anonymously for their safety, formed a group, Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently…
CPJ newsletter: August 2015
Demanding justice and security for journalists in Mexico CPJ staff were shocked and saddened by the murder of photographer Rubén Espinosa, who was found dead in an apartment in Mexico City along with four women. The victims were shot in the head. Espinosa had fled the state of Veracruz in June and sought refuge in…