One year into Sudan’s civil war, its media faces grave threats
When fighting erupted in Sudan on April 15 of last year, local journalists quickly ran into difficulties reporting on the conflict roiling their country. As the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – former allies who jointly seized power in a 2021 coup – engaged in street battles, journalists were assaulted,…
Turkish journalists shot at, banned from observing vote count in local elections
Istanbul, April 2, 2024—Turkish authorities must not disregard the news media’s legally protected right to observe the election process and must investigate the armed attack on a group of journalists in Diyarbakır, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Sunday’s election day, the High Board of Elections (YSK) banned reporters from observing the votes…
‘Back to the dark ages’: Editor Ataf Mohamed on Sudan’s wartime communications blackout
For the last six weeks, Sudan has been almost totally cut off from the world. Since early February, there has been an internet and telecommunications blackout in the country, where a war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed more than 13,000, displaced millions, and threatens to cause widespread…
Venezuela pulls German TV station Deutsche Welle off the air after critical report
Bogotá, March 7, 2024—The Venezuelan government must allow German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle and other international news channels to broadcast freely in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Monday, DW’s Spanish-language TV channel posted a video on X calling Venezuela “the world’s second most corrupt country” and reporting that high-ranking politicians…
Zimbabwe’s The NewsHawks freezes military story over fears for journalists’ safety
Lusaka, February 22, 2024—Zimbabwean authorities must end the intimidation and surveillance of journalists working for The NewsHawks online newspaper and ensure they can report safely about the military, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Friday. The NewsHawks, a privately owned investigative online newspaper, announced on Tuesday that it had halted further reporting on its…
CPJ calls for Israel to halt war censorship plans
Washington D.C., February 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern on Friday about Israeli government plans to make it illegal to publish leaked details from security cabinet meetings without approval from the military censor, saying this restriction would severely damage press freedom. “We urge Israel to drop this plan and ensure that the media…
CPJ condemns Kyrgyzstan’s order to shut investigative outlet Kloop
Stockholm, February 12, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled by a Kyrgyzstan court decision on Friday to shutter Kloop Media, a nonprofit that runs the country’s leading investigative news website Kloop. “After last month’s mass arrest of journalists linked to anti-corruption outlet Temirov Live, the forced closure of Kloop—one of the most respected media…
Pakistan restricts internet in Balochistan ahead of polls, blocks news website
New York, February 6, 2024—Pakistani authorities must allow journalists to work freely and safely in the run-up to elections on February 8, allow nationwide access to the internet, and unblock the investigative news website FactFocus, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Internet services will be temporarily restricted in “sensitive” polling booths across Pakistan’s southwestern…
In Guinea, journalists censored, expelled, arrested
Dakar, January 31, 2024— Guinean authorities should immediately reverse the suspension of Dépêche Guinée and the privately owned news website’s publishing director, Abdoul Latif Diallo, ensure journalists are not expelled or arrested over critical coverage, and ensure unhindered access to social media platforms, news sites, and broadcasters, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. “Guinean authorities…
CPJ welcomes Turkish court’s annulment of law that allowed takedown of online news
Istanbul, January 11, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the decision by Turkey’s Constitutional Court to annul a legal clause that allowed local courts to remove online news. “We are pleased that Turkey’s highest court found unconstitutional the legal article that had been used to take down online news with public value under the guise…