Cameroon detains U.S.-Cameroonian writer over critical commentary
Lomé, Togo, December 8, 2017–Cameroonian authorities detained Patrice Nganang, a Cameroonian-American academic and columnist, as he attempted to fly to Zimbabwe from Douala on December 6, according to his lawyer and media reports. The lawyer, Emmanuel Simh, told CPJ that Nganang is being held in Yaoundé on accusations of offending the president in a Facebook…
Yemeni TV guards injured, others taken hostage by Houthi forces
New York, December 4, 2017 — Gunmen from the Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, on December 2 stormed the Sanaa headquarters of the television channel Yemen Today and detained the channel’s employees, according to news reports. Mohammed Ghobari, a Reuters correspondent in Sanaa, told CPJ that at least three building guards were…
Russia designates nine U.S.-funded news outlets as foreign agents
New York, December 5, 2017–Russia’s Justice Ministry announced today that it has designated nine U.S. government-funded press outlets as “foreign agents,” under a newly expanded law, according to reports. The ministry named the outlets as the U.S. Congress-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and seven of its affiliates, and Voice of America. Under the law, outlets…
Malta arrests 10 suspects over murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia
Brussels, December 4, 2017–Maltese police, armed forces, and security services today arrested 10 suspects in connection with the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced. Caruana Galizia was killed on October 16 when her car was blown up. In Malta, police have 48 hours to question suspects before charging or releasing…
Icebox containing two heads found outside broadcaster in Mexico
Mexico City, November 29, 201–An icebox containing two unidentified severed heads and a threatening message was discovered yesterday evening outside the offices of the news broadcaster Televisa in Guadalajara, Mexico, according to Reuters report.
Venezuela’s new “anti-hate” law seeks to silence media
New York, November 9, 2017-Venezuela’s constituent assembly yesterday unanimously passed a law that mandates punishment including a prison sentence of up to 20 years for anyone who instigates hate or violence on the radio, television or via social media. The new law, the Anti-Hate Law for Tolerance and Peaceful Coexistence, states that public and private…
Russian editor arrested, allegedly injured in custody; newspaper raided
New York, November 3, 2017–The editor-in-chief and owner of the independent, Kaliningrad-based weekly Novye Kolyosa, Igor Rudnikov, was allegedly beaten while in custody of Russia’s security service (FSB) and faces criminal prosecution, according to media reports and a staff member who spoke with CPJ on condition of anonymity for safety concerns. On the night of…
China must allow all media outlets to cover events of public interest
Washington, D.C., October 25, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the decision by Chinese authorities to bar at least five prominent news organizations from attending today’s press conference introducing the new leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, as described by press reports and a statement on Twitter by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China.…
CPJ calls on Russian authorities to condemn stabbing attack on Ekho Moskvy journalist
New York, October 23, 2017–An unidentified assailant today broke into the Moscow office of Ekho Moskvy and stabbed Tatyana Felgengauer in the throat, the outlet’s editor-in-chief, Alexey Venediktov, wrote on Twitter. Felgengauer, the deputy editor-in-chief and an anchor at the independent radio station, was hospitalized, according to media reports. Security staff apprehended the assailant, who…
