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CPJ honors
top journalists

Somali reporter Mustafa Haji Abdinur, left, is among four leading journalists to receive CPJ's 2009 International Press Freedom Awards. Hundreds of supporters come out to pay tribute to journalists from Tunisia, Sri Lanka, and Azerbaijan.
Video: 2009 Awards
CPJ Blog: Seen at the benefit
Thanks to our supporters
AFP

Philippine killings
worst in memory

A brutal election-related massacre in the Philippine province of Maguindanao appears to be single deadliest event for the press since 1992. CPJ calls on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to ensure justice, and it begins organizing assistance to victims' families.
Aid efforts under way
Deadliest events for the press

British probe sought in Munadi death

AP
CPJ urges British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to undertake a full investigation into the death of Afghan journalist Sultan Munadi, left. A reporter for The New York Times, Munadi was killed September 9 during a British military operation that rescued reporter Stephen Farrell from Taliban captors. Had troops been instructed to save Munadi?
CPJ's letter to Brown
Full coverage of Munadi case

Special Report: Anatomy of Injustice

AP
Secrecy, corruption, lack of accountability, and conflicts of interest routinely thwart justice in the murders of journalists in Russia, CPJ says in a new investigative report. Killers are convicted in just one in 17 slayings since 2000. Victims include acclaimed reporter Anna Politkovskaya, left.
Русский Video Report
Рreface by Kati Marton
CPJ Blog: Russia says it will act

Remembering the fallen, seeking justice

More than 550 journalists have been murdered since 1992, with hundreds more killed in combat or on dangerous assignment. Building on years of CPJ research, we're launching a new database to memorialize those who have died and analyze the circumstances of their deaths. By focusing on unsolved murders, we intend to hold governments to account.
CPJ Blog: Call to action
CPJ's Campaign Against Impunity
36 journalists killed in 2009
763 journalists killed since 1992
485 journalists murdered with impunity since 1992
30 journalists missing worldwide
We issued the following statement after confirming the release today of Canadian freelance reporter Amanda Lindhout and Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan, both held in Somalia since August 2008...

New York, November 25, 2009—A brutal election-related massacre in the Philippine province of Maguindanao on Monday appears to be single deadliest event for the press since 1992, when CPJ began keeping detailed records on journalist deaths.

Seen and heard at CPJ benefit: 'The pen is not broken'

Small in stature but strong in her words, Naziha Réjiba tells a reporter of all the things the Tunisian government does to try to frighten her. But Réjiba said that she will not be scared, that she will never allow such tactics to have power over her. Editor of Kalima, an online news Web site blocked in her own country, Réjiba was honored Tuesday at CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria for displaying just that sort of courage. Four other leading journalists were recognized as well. 

New York, November 24, 2009—The Committee to Protect Journalists is working with local and international media support groups to extend assistance to the families of the numerous journalists killed Monday in a brutal election-related massacre in the Philippine province of Maguindanao

Huang Qi sentenced to three years in jail in China

Philippine massacre among worst for journalists

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We issued the following statement after confirming the release today of Canadian freelance reporter Amanda Lindhout and Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan, both held in Somalia since August 2008...

Seen and heard at CPJ benefit: 'The pen is not broken'

Small in stature but strong in her words, Naziha Réjiba tells a reporter of all the things the Tunisian government does to try to frighten her. But Réjiba said that she will not be scared, that she will never allow such tactics to have power over her. Editor of Kalima, an online news Web site blocked in her own country, Réjiba was honored Tuesday at CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria for displaying just that sort of courage. Four other leading journalists were recognized as well. 

Didace Namujimbo, right, with colleague Serge Maheshe at Radio Okapi offices in 2006. Both were later murdered. (Déo Namujimbo)

I shall never forgive myself for having initiated and encouraged my younger brother, Didace Namujimbo, to take up journalism. Working for 21 years in Bukavu, a city nestled on the picturesque shores of Lake Kivu, led me to cover every aspect of the brutal conflict and humanitarian catastrophe in this part of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, but a year ago nothing prepared me to deal with the news that my brother had been killed.

CPJ introduces 2009 International Press Freedom Awardees


Naziha Réjiba (CPJ/Jeremy Bigwood) Washington, November 19, 2009Naziha Réjiba, editor of the Tunisian online news journal Kalima, said she knows what to expect when she returns home—surveillance, harassment, and threats conducted by one the world’s most repressive governments.

Two Somali journalists injured in separate shootings

Zambian editor acquitted in hospital 'obscenity' case

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Doubling down on playing the spy card

Another foreign journalist was “outed" in Pakistan on Friday. A front-page story in the November 20 edition of the daily newspaper The Nation ran the picture of an unidentified journalist at the scene of a bomb blast in Peshawar, identifying him as a CIA spy. He was actually Daniel Berehulak, who works for the international photography agency Getty Images. Hugh Pinney, Getty’s senior director of photography, wrote to the paper’s editor, Shireen Mazari on Saturday, setting the record straight. A PDF of the full letter is here, but here’s what is most likely the most salient part: “He is not an employee of the CIA and has never pursued any agenda other than, as a photographer, to capture important moments and events on camera for historic record.”

El Cambio de Michoacán

New York, November 20, 2009—A Mexican reporter who had recently covered corruption and organized crime was reported missing this week in the western state of Michoacán, according to local news reports. María Esther Aguilar Cansimbe, at left, was last seen on November 11 near her home in Zamora. The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on state and federal authorities to do everything in their power to immediately bring her to safety.

Obama responses stun Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez

Yoani Sánchez at home in Cuba. (Reuters)

Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez was astounded this week by President Barack Obama’s decision to respond a written questionnaire Sánchez submitted to the White House. Still recovering from bruises left by a recent vicious attack by state security agents, she told CPJ from her home in Havana: “This is the best way to get better.” 

We issued the following statement today in response to Wednesday’s approval by the Argentine Senate of a government-sponsored bill that repeals criminal defamation provisions from the penal code...

International press decries attack on Rosenberg

A letter to the American hikers being held in Iran

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Complete Asia information »

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New York, November 25, 2009—A brutal election-related massacre in the Philippine province of Maguindanao on Monday appears to be single deadliest event for the press since 1992, when CPJ began keeping detailed records on journalist deaths.

Seen and heard at CPJ benefit: 'The pen is not broken'

Small in stature but strong in her words, Naziha Réjiba tells a reporter of all the things the Tunisian government does to try to frighten her. But Réjiba said that she will not be scared, that she will never allow such tactics to have power over her. Editor of Kalima, an online news Web site blocked in her own country, Réjiba was honored Tuesday at CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria for displaying just that sort of courage. Four other leading journalists were recognized as well. 

New York, November 24, 2009—The Committee to Protect Journalists is working with local and international media support groups to extend assistance to the families of the numerous journalists killed Monday in a brutal election-related massacre in the Philippine province of Maguindanao

New York, November 24, 2009—After almost 18 months in detention, prominent Internet publisher and human rights activist Huang Qi was sentenced to three years imprisonment on Monday by a court in Wuhou in China’s Sichuan province. The sentencing hearing lasted 10 minutes, according to international news reports. Police in Chengdu detained Huang on June 10, 2008, on charges of illegally holding state secrets and convicted him in August. Huang had been a prominent critic of the government’s response to the Sichuan earthquake disaster in May 2008.

Philippine massacre among worst for journalists

Doubling down on playing the spy card

Complete Asia information »

Complete Europe & Central Asia information »

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Seen and heard at CPJ benefit: 'The pen is not broken'

Small in stature but strong in her words, Naziha Réjiba tells a reporter of all the things the Tunisian government does to try to frighten her. But Réjiba said that she will not be scared, that she will never allow such tactics to have power over her. Editor of Kalima, an online news Web site blocked in her own country, Réjiba was honored Tuesday at CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria for displaying just that sort of courage. Four other leading journalists were recognized as well. 

New York, November 20, 2009—Authorities in Odessa, Ukraine, should immediately cease harassment of independent and pro-opposition broadcasters, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Officials from the Odessa Public Utility Service and mayor’s office have been physically obstructing the work of several local television and radio stations on the grounds of alleged building renovation, according to local news reports. 

New York, November 19, 2009—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Singapore government’s refusal to renew British freelance journalist Benjamin Bland’s work visa and its rejection of his application to cover the recently concluded Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit meeting. Bland had planned to report on the summit for the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

CPJ introduces 2009 International Press Freedom Awardees


Naziha Réjiba (CPJ/Jeremy Bigwood) Washington, November 19, 2009Naziha Réjiba, editor of the Tunisian online news journal Kalima, said she knows what to expect when she returns home—surveillance, harassment, and threats conducted by one the world’s most repressive governments.

Free Speech Protection Act could slow 'libel tourism'

Russia must effectively investigate Beketov case

Complete Europe & Central Asia information »

Complete Middle East & North Africa information »

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Seen and heard at CPJ benefit: 'The pen is not broken'

Small in stature but strong in her words, Naziha Réjiba tells a reporter of all the things the Tunisian government does to try to frighten her. But Réjiba said that she will not be scared, that she will never allow such tactics to have power over her. Editor of Kalima, an online news Web site blocked in her own country, Réjiba was honored Tuesday at CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria for displaying just that sort of courage. Four other leading journalists were recognized as well. 

We issued the following statement today in reaction to news that Iranian journalist Ahmad Zaid-Abadi was sentenced to six years in prison, five years in exile in Khorasan Province, and a lifetime ban on social and political activity, effectively barring him from writing...

APMaziar Bahari’s chilling account of his 118 days in an Iranian prison is the cover story of Newsweek this week. Bahari, a renowned journalist and documentary filmmaker, was arrested soon after the disputed June 12 elections. While in prison, he was subjected to psychological and physical abuse. His captors wanted to convince him that he was alone, that the world had forgotten about him. When Bahari, left, discerned that there was in an international campaign to win his release his spirits were bolstered.

CPJ introduces 2009 International Press Freedom Awardees


Naziha Réjiba (CPJ/Jeremy Bigwood) Washington, November 19, 2009Naziha Réjiba, editor of the Tunisian online news journal Kalima, said she knows what to expect when she returns home—surveillance, harassment, and threats conducted by one the world’s most repressive governments.

A letter to the American hikers being held in Iran

Free Speech Protection Act could slow 'libel tourism'

Complete Middle East & North Africa information »

Journalist Safety Guide
Guide for reporting in hazardous situations.
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The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1981. We promote press freedom worldwide by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.
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International Press
Freedom Awards

CPJ thanks all of our supporters for a successful event that raised more than $1.3 million

Anatomy of Injustice

Unsolved murders in Russia
Anatomy of Injustice

Pakistani reporters
face grave risks

CPJ’s Bob Dietz
examines the challenges on the CPJ Blog