Turkish president asked Sweden to deport exiled journalist Bülent Keneş
New York, November 9, 2022 – In response to news reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to deport exiled journalist Bülent Keneş back to Turkey on Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement, warning Sweden to not to set a dangerous precedent by endangering Keneş’ safety: “Under no…
CPJ asks British authorities to strengthen protection for London-based Iran International staff
Washington, D.C., November 8, 2022—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday asked British authorities to strengthen their protection of threatened staff members of Iran International, a Persian-language news television channel based in London, and demanded that they hold Iranian authorities accountable for transnational crimes. “Time and again Iranian authorities have acted with impunity in attempting…
Senegalese journalist Pape Alé Niang detained after reporting on politician’s rape charges
Dakar, November 7, 2022 — In response to news reports that Pape Alé Niang, an investigative journalist for the privately owned website Dakarmatin, was arrested Sunday in the capital Dakar after police accused him of breaching professional secrecy and publishing information likely to harm national defense and public security, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued…
Tajik journalist Zavqibek Saidamini sentenced to 7 years in prison
Stockholm, November 4, 2022 – In response to news reports that a court in Tajikistan on Thursday, November 3, sentenced independent journalist Zavqibek Saidamini to seven years in prison, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Tajik authorities have done their utmost to shroud their prosecution of journalists in secrecy. Yet, available evidence…
CPJ renews call for Iran to release all jailed journalists amid anti-government protests
New York, November 1, 2022 – The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday renewed its call for Iran to release all journalists behind bars in the country, at least 37 of whom were detained over the past six weeks of anti-government protests, and urged the U.N. Security Council to hold Iran accountable by implementing investigation…
CPJ: Kyrgyzstan’s block of RFE/RL website ‘a flagrant act of censorship’
Stockholm, October 27, 2022 – Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy on Wednesday announced a two-month block of the website of Radio Azattyk, the local service of U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, under the country’s false information law after the outlet refused to remove a video report on recent border…
CPJ welcomes new US Justice Department guidelines protecting journalists’ sources
Washington, D.C., October 26, 2022—In response to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s decision Wednesday revising Justice Department regulations to restrict federal prosecutors’ ability to obtain journalists’ phone and email records in government leak investigations with narrow exceptions, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “This is an important step to protect press freedom in the…
CPJ condemns guilty verdict in Jimmy Lai’s fraud case in Hong Kong
Taipei, October 25, 2022 – In response to news reports that a court in Hong Kong on Tuesday convicted Jimmy Lai, founder of the Next Digital Limited media company and the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, of fraud, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement condemning the verdict: “Today’s conviction of Jimmy Lai on…
Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif shot dead in Kenya
New York, October 24, 2022 – In response to multiple news reports that prominent Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was shot dead near Nairobi, Kenya, on Sunday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “We are saddened by the tragic death of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia…
CPJ welcomes final sentencing over Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack
Berlin, October 24, 2022 – A court in Paris on Thursday sentenced Ali Riza Polat to life imprisonment for complicity in a terrorist attack and Amar Ramdani to 13 years for conspiring with the attackers during the 2015 attack on the French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo. “CPJ welcomes the sentencing of Ali Riza Polat…