We couldn’t have done this without you: a note from CPJ’s advocacy director
Dear friend of CPJ, As the year draws to a close, we want to thank you for your support and share some of the press freedom successes of the past year. Often, positive developments are public in nature; a conviction is secured for a journalist’s murder, a draconian piece of legislation is struck down, a…
A letter from CPJ’s Washington Advocacy Manager
Dear friend of CPJ, Happy Holidays from Washington, D.C.! As we reflect on our accomplishments in 2019, we can’t help but take stock of the challenges we faced. President Trump continues to use his platform to attack the press, giving a stamp of approval to dictators and autocrats who imprison and murder journalists. Congress is…
25 journalists were killed this year for their work
In the Philippines, a court convicted the mastermind of the November 23, 2009, massacre of 58 people in Maguindanao. The attack killed 32 journalists and media workers, and was the deadliest event for the press that CPJ has ever recorded. This week, CPJ released its 2019 report on journalists killed worldwide, finding that at least…
A Note from the EU Representative and Advocacy Manager
Dear Friend of CPJ, What a year it has been. In the summer, European elections brought about a change within the institutions. We capitalized on the renewed political will by leading a call to the new Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, to make press freedom a priority, and our call was answered. A new…
China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt are world’s worst jailers of journalists
This week, CPJ released its 2019 prison census, finding that China, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia are the worst jailers of journalists worldwide. For the fourth consecutive year, at least 250 journalists are imprisoned globally. While the majority face anti-state charges, the number charged with “false news” rose to 30 compared with 28 last year….
Unprecedented government control of media in Hungary
CPJ joined partner organizations in a joint mission to Hungary, and found that the country’s government has a level of control over the media that is unprecedented for a European Union member state. The mission found that the Hungarian government has pursued strategies to silence the press and delegitimize journalists. CPJ continues to document attacks…
Warrantless searches of devices at ports unconstitutional, US court rules
On Tuesday, a U.S. federal court ruled that warrantless searches of digital devices by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are unconstitutional. Last year, CPJ’s report “Nothing to Declare” found that CBP agents’ stop and search powers risked undermining press freedom. Watch our video explainer of how searches of electronic devices at the U.S. border…
Protect yourself against NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware
CPJ’s Emergencies Team released a safety advisory this week for journalists targeted by the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware and other digital surveillance technology. The advisory details how journalists can identify attacks, respond if they have been targeted, and protect themselves and their sources. For more information, consult CPJ’s Digital Safety Kit. In Mexico City on…
The worst countries in the world at prosecuting journalist murderers
CPJ released the 2019 edition of its annual Global Impunity Index this week, which lists the worst countries in the world at prosecuting murderers of journalists. Somalia tops the list for the fifth year in a row. During the 10-year period covered by the index, 318 journalists were murdered for their work worldwide. In 86%…
Australian newspapers stand together for press freedom
In Australia, around two dozen newspapers blacked out their front pages on Monday to fight back against secrecy laws. The campaign, led by Australia’s Right to Know Coalition, follows the June raids on the ABC’s Sydney headquarters and the home of Annika Smethurst, a politics editor for the Sunday Telegraph, the legality of which is…