Moroccan authorities briefly arrest journalist Abdelmjid Amyay, ban Abdellatif al-Hamamouchi from traveling
On October 5, 2023, Moroccan police arrested journalist Abdelmjid Amyay, director of local independent news website Chams Post, at a coffee shop in the northeastern city of Oujda and detained him for one night for sharing articles about corruption in the city on his personal Facebook page, according to news reports. The following day, authorities…
Angolan authorities charge journalist with criminal defamation over corruption report
New York, September 20, 2023—Prosecutors should drop the criminal defamation, insult, and forgery charges against Angolan journalist Liberato Furtado Pereira and stop retaliating against the journalist for his public interest reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Furtado, a reporter for privately owned Radio Luanda, is expected to appear before the district court in…
CPJ welcomes Hungary vote to partially decriminalize defamation
Berlin, May 25, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday welcomed a recent vote by the Hungarian parliament to partially decriminalize defamation and called on authorities to fully reform laws threatening the press with criminal penalties. “We welcome the decision by Hungary’s parliament to take a step in support of press freedom by partially decriminalizing…
DRC enacts press law and digital code that criminalize journalism
New York, May 23, 2023—DRC authorities should swiftly reform the country’s new press law and digital code to ensure journalism is not criminalized and the media can work without undue restrictions or fear of prosecution, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. In April, Congolese authorities enacted new laws governing the press and online activity,…
Chilean journalist Victor Herrero fined in criminal defamation case
Bogotá, May 23, 2023—Chilean authorities should not contest journalist Victor Herrero’s appeal of his recent criminal defamation conviction and should reform the country’s laws to decriminalize speech, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Monday, May 22, a criminal court in the capital city of Santiago sentenced Herrero, editor of the independent news website…
Punjab authorities open blasphemy and defamation investigation into Pakistani journalist Waqar Satti
New York, August 30, 2022– Authorities in Pakistan’s northeast Punjab province must immediately drop their investigation into journalist Waqar Satti, allow him to report freely, and investigate threats he received in retaliation for his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Saturday, August 27, police in the Punjab city of Rawalpindi filed a…
Nigerian journalist Agba Jalingo detained over defamation, cyberattack complaint
Abuja, August 25, 2022–Nigerian authorities should drop all investigations into publisher Agba Jalingo, compensate him for his previous unlawful detention, and stop harassing the journalist, the Committee to Protect Journalist said Thursday. On August 19, a group of about 15 police officers arrested Jalingo, publisher of the privately owned news website CrossRiverWatch, at his home…
Ivory Coast journalist Noël Konan jailed overnight, fined over a tweet
On July 18, 2022, a court in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast, convicted investigative reporter Noël Kouadio Konan of defamation under Article 89 of the country’s press law and fined him three million CFA francs (US$4,600) over a June 29 tweet, according to news reports and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging…
Nigerian authorities criminally charge 2 journalists over political reporting
Abuja, July 8, 2022 – Nigerian authorities should immediately drop all charges against publisher Haruna Mohammed Salisu and reporter Idris Kamal and allow journalists to work free from legal harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On June 27, police in the city of Bauchi, the capital of northern Bauchi state, arrested and detained…