CPJ calls for journalists’ safety to be protected amid Nigeria protests
New York, October 21, 2020–Nigerian authorities should ensure that journalists are able to do their jobs freely and safely while covering protests against police brutality in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In recent days, local media have reported violence against protesters and journalists during the demonstrations in Nigeria, which began as…
Foreign reporters describe safety concerns covering US elections and protests
Covering elections as a foreign correspondent in the United States has traditionally meant press conferences, long days at political rallies, and road trips through rural America. This year, however, amid the spread of COVID-19, curtailed campaigns, civil unrest, visa issues, and an unpredictable political environment, the elections beat has been particularly challenging for foreign reporters….
“I’ve lost count of the number of fires I’ve covered this year”: How journalists stay safe covering U.S. wildfires
Photojournalist Kent Porter has covered wildfires in the western United States for more than 30 years. But this year, he says, the fires are different. The season’s first fire usually burns about one or two acres, Porter told CPJ in a phone interview. This year, however, the first fire he covered was 140 acres. “Usually…
Shelling injures 2 Russian journalists in Nagorno-Karabakh; Armenian government revokes journalist’s accreditation
New York, October 8, 2020 — Authorities in Armenia and Azerbaijan must ensure the safety of journalists covering the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and allow them to report freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yuriy Kotenok, chief editor of the conservative Russian news website Segodnia.ru, and Levon Arzanov, a correspondent from the Russian state-run…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh
Updated October 9, 2020 Hostilities erupted once again on September 27, 2020, between the forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the autonomous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. As of October 9, over 300 people had been killed, according to news reports. Major population centers such as Stepanakert, the region’s capital, and Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, have been…
CPJ highlights dangers for photojournalists covering protests at Photoville NYC
New York, September 24, 2020 – Photojournalists working in the United States this year face an unprecedented combination of risks, including civil unrest, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate disasters. In honor of their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists is participating in the annual Photoville Festival in New York City as a partner in the…
Physical Safety: Covering wildfires
Wildfires are becoming more frequent across the world and increasing in both severity and extent, according to Science Brief, a website that reviews peer-reviewed scientific studies on various topics, including climate change. Media workers covering any wildfire should be aware of the dynamic nature of such a disaster, and how a rapidly evolving situation on…
Guide to legal rights in the U.S.
The following advice and recommendations are intended to give the reader a high-level understanding of the rights of a journalist when confronted by law enforcement officers while covering a protest or other political event. Given that these incidents often quickly escalate and that some – both protestors and police – do not always conform to legal…
Christiane Amanpour, CPJ to testify before Congress on press freedom threats in US
New York, July 21, 2020—On Thursday, Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent and a CPJ senior adviser, and CPJ Advocacy Director Courtney Radsch will testify on threats to press freedom in the United States in front of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, better known as the Helsinki Commission. David Kaye, United Nations…
Journalists in Hong Kong fear for personal safety as China pushes national security law through
A new survey conducted by the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and released June 19 showed that an overwhelming majority of journalists in Hong Kong worry about their personal safety if the new national security law is enacted. The legislation, approved by the National People’s Congress in Beijing, would criminalize any act of secession, subversion,…