CPJ and partners call on Slovakia to ensure justice for the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak
Berlin, February 21, 2024—On the sixth anniversary of the brutal killing of Slovak investigative reporter Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová on Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists and seven other international press freedom organizations renewed their call for justice and an end to the cycle of impunity in Slovakia. Despite the hitmen and…
CPJ warns Assange extradition would be blow to press freedom
Washington, D.C., February 20, 2024—As the two-day hearing of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s appeal against extradition from Britain to the United States opened in London on Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists warned that extraditing Assange would set a dangerous precedent for media freedom. “Assange’s lengthy legal battle could come to an end if the…
Nepali journalists Aishwarya Kunwar, Puskar Bhatt arrested under cybercrime law
On February 10, police in Kanchanpur district of western Sudurpaschim province arrested Aishwarya Kunwar, a reporter for the privately owned news website Nigarani Khabar, and Puskar Bhatt, a correspondent for the privately owned broadcaster Mountain Television, following their reporting and social media commentary on allegations of police misconduct, according to the local advocacy organizations Media…
Russia bans freedom of expression group Article 19 as ‘undesirable’
New York, February 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Russian authorities to reconsider designating international freedom of expression group Article 19 as “undesirable” and cease using the country’s “undesirable” law to intimidate organizations that report on press freedom violations in the country. On January 23, the Russian general prosecutor’s office outlawed Article 19 by…
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…
Three Turkish journalists found guilty of aiding terrorist organization ‘without being a member’
Istanbul, February 15, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Turkish authorities not to fight the appeals of journalists Ahmet Altan, Nazlı Ilıcak, and Fevzi Yazıcı and ensure that members of the press are not subject to judicial harassment. The 26th Istanbul Court of Serious Crimes found the three journalists guilty of “assisting a [terrorist] organization…
Thailand charges 2 journalists for reporting on anti-royal vandalism
Bangkok, February 14, 2023—Thai authorities should drop all charges pending against journalist Nutthaphol Meksobhon and photographer Natthapon Phanphongsanon and stop harassing the press for reporting on issues related to the nation’s monarchy, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday. Nutthaphol, a reporter with the local independent Prachatai news website, and Natthapon, a freelance photographer,…
Malaysia hands 2-year prison sentence to UK journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown
Bangkok, February 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Malaysian authorities to reverse the decision to sentence British anti-corruption reporter Clare Rewcastle Brown to two years in prison in absentia for criminal defamation over her investigation into a major financial corruption scandal. “Malaysia should scrap the outrageous prison sentence given to Clare Rewcastle Brown…
Exiled Russian journalist Denis Kamalyagin charged with violating foreign agent law
New York, February 6, 2024—Russian authorities must immediately drop all charges against journalist Denis Kamalyagin and stop harassing exiled members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Kamalyagin, editor-in-chief of the exiled Russian newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya, was charged in December with failing to comply with the country’s foreign agent law, according to…
‘Severe fair trial violations’ reported in José Rubén Zamora’s case
Mexico City, February 5, 2024—A report released Monday by TrialWatch assigned a failing grade to the legal proceedings in the trial of award-winning Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora, citing numerous breaches of international and regional fair-trial standards and concluding that the prosecution and conviction of Zamora are likely retaliatory measures for his investigative journalism. The…