The Torch is a weekly newsletter from the Committee to Protect Journalists that brings you the latest press freedom and journalist safety news from around the world. Subscribe here.
Prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has not been seen since entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul more than a week ago, and Turkish authorities told the media they believe that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. In Bulgaria, TV host Viktoria Marinova was found dead on Saturday, and CPJ is looking into whether the killing was connected to her work. These two cases come as the one-year anniversary of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia‘s murder approaches. CPJ will join a fact-finding mission into her death next week in Malta, as well as a vigil in London.
Global press freedom updates
- Hong Kong denied a visa renewal for Financial Times Asia news editor Victor Mallet
- Peru mayoral candidate Daniel Urresti acquitted of 1988 murder of war correspondent Hugo Bustíos
- CPJ Brazil Correspondent Andrew Downie writes about how Brazil’s ‘ethno-communicators’ are helping indigenous people find their voice
- Read the latest Turkey Crackdown Chronicle, CPJ’s weekly round-up of press freedom violations in the country
- CPJ was named the winner of the 2018 Chatham House prize
Spotlight
CPJ continues to call on Saudi Arabia to account for Jamal Khashoggi’s whereabouts. The journalist fled to the U.S. last year, fearing retaliation for his criticism of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. CPJ recently documented a steadily increasing number of Saudi bloggers and journalists detained without charge.
A number of U.S. government officials, including members of Congress, have spoken out about Khashoggi’s case, including Vice President Mike Pence.
CPJ staff spoke about Khashoggi’s disappearance with a number of media outlets, including BBC, NPR, CBS News, Politico, Vox, and The Atlantic. Read more reactions in our Twitter Moment.
What we are reading
- Jamal Khashoggi’s columns forThe Washington Post
- Jamal Khashoggi’s alleged murder represents a new kind of depravity — CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon, The Washington Post
- Egypt’s ‘Fake News’ Laws Are Being Used to Silence Online Dissent — Mack DeGeurin, New York Magazine
- When Killing the Messenger Becomes the Norm — Amy Mackinnon, Foreign Policy
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