Attacks on the Media

Indian journalist, magazine face criminal complaint for investigative report

 Indian authorities should shelve a criminal complaint against the weekly Indian magazine Outlook, its leadership, and freelance journalist Neha Dixit, and ensure the safety of the journalist and Outlook's staff, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on August 11th. On August 4, SC Koyal, an assistant solicitor general of the government of India at the Gauhati High Court, and Bijon Mahajan, a spokesman for the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), filed a criminal complaint against the English-language magazine Outlook, its publisher, Indranil Roy, its editor, Krishna Prasad, and Dixit. The complaint alleged that a July…Read more

At least two journalists killed in Pakistan blast

At least two journalists were among at least 70 people killed in a massive bomb blast at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, on August 8th, according to press reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the attack. Mehmood Khan, a cameraman for DawnNews, and Aaj TV cameraman Shehzad Ahmed were at Quetta Civil Hospital reporting on a gathering of mourners grieving the murder of Bilal Kasi, president of the Baluchistan Bar Association, the reports said. Ahmed died at the scene of the blast, according to the Pakistani advocacy group Freedom Network, which promotes freedom of expression.…Read more

Journalists’ union condemns police raids on media in Jammu and Kashmir

This statement was originally published on samsn.ifj.org on 17 July 2016. The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) strongly protested against the Jammu and Kashmir police raids on all newspaper offices in the early hours of Saturday [16 July 2016] in Srinagar, stopping the printing of their editions and confiscating the already printed papers. Due to the police action, the Kashmir valley went without newspapers on Saturday. In a statement issued here on Sunday [17 July], the IJU President S N Sinha, Secretary-General Amar Devulapalli, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Vice-President Sabina Inderjit, Press Council of India…Read more

Gunshot and charges follow satirical column about commander

Media Institute of Southern Africa The Lesotho Times newspaper editor Lloyd Mutangamiri was shot on Saturday, July 9, at the gate of his lower Thamae residence in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, just before midnight. Lloyd was returning from his office after completing the Sunday Expressedition, a sister newspaper of Lesotho Times. Police confirmed that a single bullet was fired and that Mutangamiri suffered severe trauma, particularly to his mouth. He was hospitalised under 24-hour police security. Members of the public and his colleagues were not allowed to see him for security reasons. MISA Lesotho was…Read more

South African reporters attacked covering protests, broadcaster suspends journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by media reports that South Africa's public broadcaster suspended three journalists for opposing an editorial decision not to cover a protest. CPJ also calls for credible investigations into reports that police assaulted journalists covering unrest. At least five people have been killed and almost 200 people have been arrested this week as supporters of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party have taken to the streets of the capital and environs in often-violent protests against the ANC's leadership, according to media reports. Police and protesters have threatened…Read more

Pacific media condemn PNG police shootings, latest journo assault

Journalists and media practitioners across the region have joined their news colleagues in Papua New Guinea in solidarity and support, calling for global pressure on PNG's Police and leaders to take "immediate steps" to address the "abhorrent and totally unnecessary" use of firearms at a peaceful protest organised on the morning of June 8th, 2016 at the national university. In the panic and pandemonium caused by Police tear gas and shooting at unarmed citizens, a female journalist was assaulted - the second incident involving PNG Police in the space of a week. Just…Read more

Live grenade found near vehicle of Guyanese publisher

The following statement was originally published on Association of Caribbean Media Workers facebook page on 6 June 2016. It comes from their national affiliate, the Guyana Press Association. The Guyana Press Association (GPA) calls on the Guyana Police Force to execute an in-depth investigation into the presence of a live grenade near a vehicle owned by the publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, on the evening of Saturday June 4, 2016. Regardless of the motive, the act alone has a chilling effect on press freedom. We take this opportunity to call on the intellectual authors and/or…Read more

Newspaper and website editor attacked, call for investigation

The Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka vehemently condemns the attack on the editor of the regional newspaper and website Meepura and requests the Government conduct an immediate inquiry to take proper legal action against the perpetrators. The editor, Mr. Freddy Gamage, came under attack while he was returning from the Negambo Municipal Council after covering its General Meeting. He was assaulted by two men wearing full face helmets as he was walking towards his vehicle. As he turned to get a better view of the two men, feeling suspicious over the way they were monitoring…Read more

Call for release of 73-year-old publisher held in Dhaka since February

The International Publishers Association and its Freedom to Publish Committee today renewed its call for the immediate release of a 73-year-old publisher held in Dhaka since February, after the High Court of Bangladesh denied his application for bail. Shamsuzzoha Manik, who owns the Ba-Dwip Prakashan publishing house, has been charged under Bangladesh's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, which criminalizes criticism of religion. He faces up to 14 years in prison if found guilty. Manik, who also founded the now defunct bangarashtra.net website for secular debate, was arrested at the Bangladesh International Book Fair on…Read more

IFJ expresses concern over Pakistani journalist missing since 2015

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses grave concern for Pakistani journalist Zeenat Shahzadi who has been missing since August 2015. The IFJ demands Pakistan's authorities to take immediate action to find her kidnappers and reveal the status of investigations into the disappearance of the young woman reporter. Zeenat Shahzadi, a journalist for the Daily Nai Khabar and Metro News in Lahore, disappeared on her way to work in an auto-rickshaw. Police are understood to have registered a case against 'unknown men', but to date, no developments have been made public. Zeenat's family alleges that she was…Read more