In Marcos Jr.’s Philippines, milder tone belies harsh media reality
At a waterfront courthouse in Tacloban City, a long-time hotbed of communist insurgency in the Philippines’ Eastern Visayas island region, heavily armed guards were escorting jailed journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio to trial. The picturesque setting belied the harsh reality of the April 17 hearing. Cumpio could be put behind bars for life if found guilty…
Ghanaian journalist Abubakari Sadiq Gariba attacked, threatened by politician and aide
[Editors’ Note: Since the publication of this report, CPJ learned that a Tamale District Court convicted Iddrisu Hardi and Mumuni Osman for “conspiracy to commit crime, assault, unlawful entry and threat of death,” according to Twitter posts by the Ghana Police Service. The pair pleaded guilty to all four charges and paid a fine of 3,600 cedis (US$306).]…
In Turkey, cautious optimism that tough election could be good for press freedom
Turkey’s powerful Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) are facing one of the toughest challenges of their two decades in office. Polls ahead of the country’s May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections suggest that the president and his long-ruling party could lose to the opposition coalition of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of…
Peruvian outlet IDL-Reporteros targeted by protests, death threats from right-wing group
Bogotá, May 10, 2023 – Peruvian authorities must take seriously the recent threats made to the investigative news website IDL-Reporteros and hold those responsible for harassing the outlet to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On May 5, about 50 protesters with the right-wing political group La Resistencia gathered at IDL-Reporteros’ office in…
Togolese authorities detain, threaten journalist Edouard Kamboissoa Samboe
New York, May 10, 2023—Togolese authorities should ensure that journalist Edouard Kamboissoa Samboe and all other members of the media can work without fear, and should drop any restrictions on Samboe’s work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On the morning of April 30, Togolese soldiers arrested Samboe, the founder and owner of the…
Detention of Evan Gershkovich in Russia: RSF and CPJ call on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to act for the journalist’s release
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) call on the U.N. to intervene with the Russian authorities to secure the release of the Wall Street Journal journalist. New York, May 2—RSF and CPJ formally addressed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression Irene Khan on May 2,…
Mahoney: UN can help journalists beyond World Press Freedom Day
New York, May 1, 2023–Evan Gershkovich and Jimmy Lai are about to spend World Press Freedom Day behind bars. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal Moscow correspondent, and Lai, a pro-democracy Hong Kong media magnate, are among record numbers of journalists in prison as the United Nations marks the 30th anniversary of its special day for…
EU progress on press freedom mired in contradictions, CPJ report finds
European Union media reforms hang in the balance ahead of critical 2024 elections New York, April 25—The European Union (EU) is inconsistent in delivering on its own commitments to press freedom, according to a special report published Tuesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). “Fragile Progress: The struggle for press freedom in the European Union”finds…
CPJ welcomes Ecuador’s pledge to strengthen press freedom commitments following meeting with the government
Mission to Ecuador spotlights urgent need to prioritize journalist safety Quito, April 20, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Ecuadorian government’s commitment to fund and implement mechanisms that will advance press freedom and improve journalist safety in the country, following a meeting with representatives from CPJ and the local press freedom organization Fundamedios on…
Kazakh outlet Moy Gorod receives bomb threat
Stockholm, April 14, 2023—Kazakh authorities should thoroughly investigate a recent bomb threat against Kazakh news outlet Moy Gorod and take steps to ensure the outlet’s safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On April 7, an individual emailed Moy Gorod’s editorial office in the northwestern city of Oral saying they had planted a bomb…