Indian journalist Manish Kumar Singh found dead in Bihar state

Authorities in India’s eastern Bihar state must fully investigate the death of journalist Manish Kumar Singh, determine whether he was killed in relation to his work, and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Singh, a reporter with the Hindi-language privately owned news channel Sudarshan TV, went missing in Bihar’s East Champaran district on August 8, and villagers found his body on August 10, according to local news reports and Sanjay Singh, the journalist’s father, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview. Police arrested three people suspected to…Read more

Pakistan authorities detain, investigate journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat

Pakistan authorities should immediately drop their investigations into journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat, and cease harassing members of the press in retaliation for their coverage of public institutions, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 7, officers with the Federal Investigation Agency arrested Mir, CEO of the privately owned news agency Googly News TV, and Shafqat, who hosts the YouTube news commentary channel Tellings with Imran Shafqat, according to news reports and both journalists, who spoke with CPJ in phone interviews. Googly News TV publishes on a website and YouTube channel, which has about 360,000 subscribers;…Read more

Indian journalist stabbed to death in Andhra Pradesh

 Authorities in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh must thoroughly investigate the death of journalist Chennakeshavalu and ensure that those responsible are held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, in the Kurnool district of the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, a local police officer and his brother stabbed Chennakeshavalu, a reporter with the privately owned news channel EV5, according to news reports. Chennakeshavalu, who uses one name, died later that day of his injuries, according to those reports, which said that police have arrested the officer, Venkata Subbaiah, and his brother,…Read more

Bangladesh authorities harass, threaten two Rohingya journalists

Bangladesh authorities should immediately cease harassing brothers and colleagues Sayful Arkane, a reporter, and Mohammad Aziz Arkane, a camera operator, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 2, the brothers, who cover Rohingya refugees for the YouTube channel of Rohingya news website The Arakan Times, participated in a meeting between Rohingya refugees, U.N. officials, and officials with the office of Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner in Nayapara refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar in southeast Bangladesh, to discuss changes to food ration cards following protests over the issue, according to Mohammad Aziz Arkane and…Read more

Malta government bears responsibility for journalist’s murder, inquiry finds

An independent inquiry in Malta into the murder of the anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has found that the state had to bear responsibility after creating a “culture of impunity”. The 437-page report, conducted by a team of judges and released on Thursday, said the state “failed to recognise the real and immediate risks” to the investigative journalist’s life and “failed to take reasonable steps to avoid them”. Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb as she drove away from her home on 16 October 2017. Her death was met with outrage across Europe, and embroiled Malta’s…Read more

Zambian opposition supporters assault reporter from state media

Zambian authorities must thoroughly and quickly investigate the brutal attack by supporters of opposition party United Party for National Development (UPND) on Victor Mwila, a reporter with the state-owned Zambia News and Information Services, and ensure that those responsible are held to full account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 23, about 20 UPND supporters in the central business area of Ikelenge district, in northwest Zambia, kicked and hit Mwila using their fists and unknown objects, and grabbed his camera, his mobile phone, and 1,000 kwacha (US$52) in cash, according…Read more

UK: Sun, Mail and Rusbridger align as industry unites against Official Secrets Act reforms

Press Gazette: Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger has argued reforms to the Official Secrets Act would mean a future Edward Snowden-style whistleblower would be forced to avoid mainstream UK publications to spill secrets. Instead they would avoid fears of stricter sentences for publication in the public interest by sharing information with a foreign title or website or putting it online themselves, he said in his submission to Government. His stance puts him in rare agreement with the likes of the The Sun as the industry unites against the proposed reforms in fear they…Read more

UK journalists could be jailed like spies under proposed Official Secrets Act changes

Press Gazette: Journalists could be treated like spies for reporting on matters of public interest under planned reforms to the UK’s Official Secrets Act. The move has caused alarm at a time when press freedom is seen as being under attack in the UK following the raid by the Information Commissioner to find The Sun’s Matt Hancock-scoop source. Yesterday, it was revealed that foreign governments are targeting UK journalists with mobile phone spyware. The Government said the reform was needed as the existing acts, with the last update in 1989, are no longer enough to…Read more

Ghana politician calls for journalist Erastus Asare Donkor to be beaten over protest coverage

Ghanaian authorities should ensure the safety of journalist Erastus Asare Donkor and hold politician Kennedy Ohene Agyapong to account for instigating attacks against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In an appearance on the Net 2 TV broadcaster on July 9, Agyapong, a member of Ghana’s parliament with the ruling New Patriotic Party, accused Donkor, a reporter with Joy FM, of reporting falsehoods and said he “should be beaten seriously.” Agyapong also said in that broadcast that, if he was president, “I would get people to beat him up.” Agyapong’s family owns Net…Read more

Malawi police beat, detain radio reporter Oliver Malibisa

Malawi authorities should ensure journalists can report without fear of violence, harassment, or detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On the morning of June 30, police officers beat and briefly detained Oliver Malibisa, a reporter with the local Likoma Community Radio broadcaster, as he tried to cover a student demonstration at Likoma Secondary School in central Malawi, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and news reports. “The assault and detention of journalist Oliver Malibisa by Malawi police was an attack on press freedom, and impunity for such…Read more