In Saudi Arabia, journalist Zuhair Kutbi was arrested on unknown charges, and Eman Al Nafjan and Hatoon al-Fassi, two of the four female journalists critical of the ban on women driving whom Saudi authorities arrested last year, were tried. They appeared in court Wednesday on charges under the cybercrime law, including supporting “hostile elements.”
In Nigeria, journalists were detained, harassed, and assaulted during state elections on March 9.
CPJ’s China correspondent, Iris Hsu, explores how, by making little to no information available to the public about imprisoned journalists, Chinese authorities are better able to avoid being held to account for their actions against the press.
Global press freedom updates
- Photographer detained, sentenced to deportation by Israeli authorities
- Afghan journalist wounded in assassination attempt
- Sudanese journalist detained in undisclosed location for weeks without charges
- Ukraine bars Austrian reporter from entering for one year; also in the country, officials assault an investigative reporter and a cameraman on March 6
- South African journalist doxxed by Economic Freedom Fighters leader, threatened
- Two journalists detained, attacked in Ethiopia
- Indian court issues fine, threatens jail time over opinion piece. Separately, the Indian government threatens to invoke Official Secrets Act against news outlets
- Polish ruling party president files criminal libel complaint against independent daily
- Nigerian authorities should allow Jay FM in Jos, Plateau state, to broadcast
- CPJ calls on U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to reschedule meeting
- Read the latest Turkey Crackdown Chronicle, CPJ’s weekly round-up of press freedom violations in the country
Spotlight
This week CPJ launched “The Last Column,” a book and digital campaign that highlights the human cost of reporting the news. The book collects the final works of 24 journalists killed in connection to their work, and includes videos and a podcast.
The project also ties into CPJ’s Global Campaign Against Impunity, which advocates for justice and an end to the impunity endemic to murders of journalists. Learn more about the project in Time and Al Jazeera. Join the conversation using the hashtag #LastColumn.
What we are reading
- Railing Against India’s Right-Wing Nationalism Was a Calling. It Was Also a Death Sentence. — Rollo Romig, The New York Times
- China’s model of internet censorship is being copied across the world, says author James Griffiths — Jennifer Creery, Hong Kong Free Press
- The colonial-era laws that still govern African journalism — Al Jazeera
- Intimidation of journalists also keeps Venezuelans in the dark — Joel Simon, CPJ executive director, The Washington Post