Iranian radio journalist Sajjad Shahrabi arrested, transferred to prison
Washington, D.C., May 8, 2023—Iranian authorities should immediately release radio journalist Sajjad Shahrabi and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On May 3, security forces arrested Shahrabi, a reporter and radio host for the state-owned outlet Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), after raiding his father’s house in the…
CPJ joins call urging authorities to drop charges against Asheville Blade reporters
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined the Freedom of the Press Foundation and over 45 other organizations in a letter on Wednesday, May 3, calling for the Buncombe County district attorney’s office to drop charges against Asheville Blade reporters Veronica Coit and Matilda Bliss. The pair were arrested on December 25, 2021, while covering the…
At least 4 journalists formally arrested, 1 more detained ahead of Turkey elections
Istanbul, April 28, 2023 — Turkish authorities should immediately release all journalists and media workers imprisoned for their work and stop interfering with the press ahead of the country’s May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Tuesday, April 25, authorities in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır detained at…
Chinese authorities detain Taiwan-based publisher and radio host Li Yanhe on national security charge
Taipei, April 26, 2023—Chinese authorities must immediately release radio host Li Yanhe and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. In March, state security officers in Shanghai detained Li, a book publisher and radio host for Taiwanese public broadcaster Radio Taiwan International, who goes by the name Fucha, while he…
Turkish police detain at least 9 journalists in Diyarbakır crackdown
Istanbul, April 25, 2023—Turkish authorities should release all recently detained journalists held in retaliation for their work and ensure that the country’s anti-terror laws are not weaponized against the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. In the early hours of Tuesday, April 25, authorities in 21 cities throughout the southeastern province of Diyarbakır…
Journalist Kayvan Samimi rearrested in Iran, held in undisclosed location
Washington, D.C., April 24, 2023—Iranian authorities should immediately release journalist Kayvan Samimi, drop any charges against him, and release all members of the press held for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On April 20, authorities in Tehran arrested Samimi, the editor-in-chief of the state-run Iran-e Farda magazine, and took him to an undisclosed…
Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu held since February 2022, facing espionage charges
Taipei, April 24, 2023—Chinese authorities should immediately release journalist Dong Yuyu, drop any charges against him, and cease detaining and prosecuting members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On Monday, April 24, the journalist’s family released a statement, which CPJ reviewed, saying that Dong, a columnist for the…
Journalists in India arrested, threatened, suspended from Twitter in separate incidents
In March 2023, India saw a number of attacks on press freedom, including the arrest of Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj; the suspension in India of Twitter handles belonging to an outlet and at least three journalists; and death threats to journalist and fact-checker Mohammad Zubair. On March 20, the National Investigation Agency, India’s counterterrorism body,…
Journalist Duong Van Thai arrested in Vietnam after disappearing in Thailand
Manila, April 18, 2023—Vietnamese authorities should immediately release journalist Duong Van Thai and stop all efforts to harass and detain members of the press living in exile, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On April 13, Thai, an independent journalist who posts political commentary on YouTube and has about 119,000 followers, went missing in…
Journalist Saeed Seif-Ali rearrested in Iran
Washington, D.C., April 17, 2023—Iranian authorities should immediately release journalist Saeed Seif-Ali and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On April 11, authorities summoned Seif-Ali, editor-in-chief of the state-run news website Didbaniran.ir, and then arrested him and took him to an undisclosed location, according to news reports. Seif-Ali was previously…