Hopeless, a sister visits her imprisoned brother in Havana
Graciela González-Degard is 72 years old. She has salt-and-pepper hair, long elegant hands, soft manners reminiscent of another era, and a bad knee that she blames on age. Once a Catholic nun, Graciela moved to the United States from Havana in the 1960s and now lives in New York with her husband. She teaches children…
Documentary commends Cyclone Nargis journalists
PBS’s “Wide Angle” aired “Eyes of the Storm” last week, a documentary on Cyclone Nargis and its aftermath. Like Anders Ostergaard’s recent film “Burma VJ” on citizen reporters during the monk-led protests in 2007, which we wrote about in April, “Wide Angle” contrasts independent reports filmed at great risk with the junta’s state media claims…
Iran charges journalists with ‘lying’
New York, August 25, 2009–The fourth session of the mass trial of more than 100 opposition figures, including journalists, took place in Tehran today. The Committee to Protect Journalists is particularly dismayed by procedural irregularities and the fact that the trial is only open to state-owned media.
Niger editor sentenced to prison
New York, August 19, 2009–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a prison sentence given on Tuesday to the editor of a private newspaper in Niger. Abdoulaye Tiémogo, editor of the weekly Le Canard Déchaîné, has been in police custody in the capital, Niamey, since August 1.
Jailed journalist dies in Azerbaijan prison
New York, August 18, 2009–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an independent investigation into the death on Monday in a Baku prison hospital of Novruzali Mamedov, editor of the now-defunct minority newspaper Talyshi Sado, who had been in state custody since February 2007.
Lawyers protest lack of access in Iran
New York, August 14, 2009–In a letter addressed to the head of the Iranian judiciary, four defense lawyers protested that they were not allowed to attend the latest hearing, on August 8, in a mass trial in which more than 100 defendants, including journalists, stand accused of anti-state activities.
U.S. officials detain Pakistani VOA journalist
New York, August 14, 2009–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by U.S. immigration officials’ decision to detain without explanation Rahman Bunairee, a Pakistani reporter for Voice of America who said he had been targeted for attack in his home country. CPJ calls on immigration officials to release Bunairee immediately and allow him to resume…