Committee to Protect Journalists - Burundi tag:cpj.org,2008-09-16://1 2013-04-23T14:54:57Z Movable Type 4.38 Burundi Senate passes harsh amendments to press law tag:cpj.org,2013://1.21592 2013-04-23T14:43:14Z 2013-04-23T14:54:57Z New York, April 23, 2013--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the passage in the Senate of highly restrictive amendments to Burundi's Press Law and calls on President Pierre Nkurunziza to reject the bill when it comes to him for confirmation.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, April 23, 2013--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the passage in the Senate of highly restrictive amendments to Burundi's Press Law and calls on President Pierre Nkurunziza to reject the bill when it comes to him for confirmation.

]]> CPJ urges Burundi to reject restrictive media law tag:cpj.org,2013://1.21558 2013-04-16T15:23:27Z 2013-04-16T15:23:50Z Dear President Nkurunziza: We are writing to bring to your attention restrictive amendments to Burundi's 2003 Press Law that were passed in the National Assembly on April 3. The bill will go before the Senate and if passed, will soon come to you for confirmation. We ask that you use the power of your office to reject this severely restrictive bill, thus reaffirming your government's commitment to press freedom. Committee to Protect Journalists Burundi journalist Ruvakuki freed from jail tag:cpj.org,2013://1.21366 2013-03-06T20:46:58Z 2013-03-06T21:33:17Z Nairobi, March 6, 2013--Burundian authorities today released Hassan Ruvakuki, a reporter who has been imprisoned for 16 months on charges related to his interview with a rebel leader. The circumstances of the release were not immediately clear, and the Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities to vacate Ruvakuki's... Committee to Protect Journalists Hassan Ruvakuki, seen here after his release from prison today. (RFI)

Nairobi, March 6, 2013--Burundian authorities today released Hassan Ruvakuki, a reporter who has been imprisoned for 16 months on charges related to his interview with a rebel leader. The circumstances of the release were not immediately clear, and the Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities to vacate Ruvakuki's conviction and prison sentence.

]]> Attacks on the Press: Between Insurgents, Governments tag:beta.cpj.org,2013://1.20490 2013-02-14T05:05:51Z 2013-03-13T22:09:34Z The rise of extremist groups who target journalists is a potent risk. By Mohamed Keita... Committee to Protect Journalists The rise of extremist groups who target journalists is a potent risk. By Mohamed Keita

(AFP/Pius Utomi Ekpei)

]]> Burundian court reduces journalist's jail term tag:cpj.org,2013://1.20879 2013-01-08T20:51:40Z 2013-01-08T21:06:25Z Nairobi, January 8, 2013--An appeals court in Burundi today dropped terrorism charges against jailed journalist Hassan Ruvakuki and reduced his sentence from life to three years in prison, according to local journalists and news reports.... Committee to Protect Journalists Hassan Ruvakuki attends court in October 2012 to appeal his life sentence. (AFP/Esdras Ndikumana)

Nairobi, January 8, 2013--An appeals court in Burundi today dropped terrorism charges against jailed journalist Hassan Ruvakuki and reduced his sentence from life to three years in prison, according to local journalists and news reports.

]]> Burundi reporter sentenced to life imprisonment tag:cpj.org,2012://1.20038 2012-06-20T22:18:33Z 2012-06-20T22:35:13Z Nairobi, June 20, 2012--A Burundian appeals court must reverse the ruling against a journalist sentenced to life in prison on vague terrorism charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. A High Court in the eastern town of Cankuzo today found Hassan Ruvakuki, a reporter for local radio station... Committee to Protect Journalists Hassan Ruvakuki was sentenced today to life in prison. (Iwacu-burundi)

Nairobi, June 20, 2012--A Burundian appeals court must reverse the ruling against a journalist sentenced to life in prison on vague terrorism charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

A High Court in the eastern town of Cankuzo today found Hassan Ruvakuki, a reporter for local radio station Bonesha FM and French government-funded broadcaster Radio France Internationale, and 13 other defendants guilty of "participating in terrorist attacks" under the country's penal code, Patrick Nduwimana, the interim director at Bonesha FM, told CPJ.

]]> Burundian prosecutor requests life sentence for journalist tag:cpj.org,2012://1.19327 2012-05-08T21:47:11Z 2012-06-21T14:57:08Z New York, May 8, 2012--State prosecutors requested a life sentence today for Burundian radio reporter Hassan Ruvakuki who was imprisoned after airing a November interview with a purported rebel leader, according to news reports.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, May 8, 2012--State prosecutors requested a life sentence today for Burundian radio reporter Hassan Ruvakuki who was imprisoned after airing a November interview with a purported rebel leader, according to news reports.

]]> Burundi journalist detained by security agents tag:cpj.org,2011://1.18174 2011-11-30T22:40:19Z 2012-06-21T13:58:55Z New York, November 30, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned by the ongoing detention of a radio journalist in Burundi since Monday.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, November 30, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned by the ongoing detention of a radio journalist in Burundi since Monday.

]]> Burundi government harassing independent broadcasters tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17681 2011-08-03T21:37:31Z 2011-09-30T20:39:26Z Committee to Protect Journalists Burundi journalists march on World Press Freedom Day. (Jean Pierre Aimé HARERIMANA)

New York, August 3, 2011--The government of Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza is attempting to silence critical press coverage of his administration with incessant judicial harassment of two of the country's leading independent broadcasters, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. 

]]> Online journalist finally released in Burundi tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17312 2011-05-17T22:43:47Z 2011-05-18T18:16:52Z New York, May 17, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of online editor Jean-Claude Kavumbagu of Net Press on Monday but still questions the original charges placed against him. The High Court dropped charges of treason on May 13 but sentenced Kavumbagu to eight months in prison and... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, May 17, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of online editor Jean-Claude Kavumbagu of Net Press on Monday but still questions the original charges placed against him. The High Court dropped charges of treason on May 13 but sentenced Kavumbagu to eight months in prison and a fine of 100,000 Burundian francs (US$80) for publishing "information that discredits the state and economy," according to defense lawyer Gabriel Sinarinzi. Authorities released Kavumbagu on Monday since he had already spent 10 months at Mpimba Prison in the capital, Bujumbura. 

]]> Burundi suspends RPA's popular talk show tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17217 2011-04-27T20:54:06Z 2011-04-27T21:09:41Z New York, April 27, 2011--Burundi's state-run media regulator suspended a popular radio talk show on Monday because of accusations made by a caller about the president, according to news reports and local journalists.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, April 27, 2011--Burundi's state-run media regulator suspended a popular radio talk show on Monday because of accusations made by a caller about the president, according to news reports and local journalists.

]]> Burundi seeks life sentence for Kavumbagu tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17137 2011-04-14T19:25:34Z 2011-04-14T19:56:17Z New York, April 14, 2011--A Burundi state prosecutor asked a panel of judges on Wednesday to hand journalist Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, who has been imprisoned since July 2010 over a column critical of the country's security forces, the maximum life sentence on a charge of treason, according to local journalists.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, April 14, 2011--A Burundi state prosecutor asked a panel of judges on Wednesday to hand journalist Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, who has been imprisoned since July 2010 over a column critical of the country's security forces, the maximum life sentence on a charge of treason, according to local journalists.

]]> Burundi must free Kavumbagu, halt flawed prosecution tag:cpj.org,2011://1.17113 2011-04-11T15:58:09Z 2011-04-11T16:27:13Z Dear Justice Minister Ancilla Ntakaburimvo: We urge you to intervene in the case of Jean-Claude Kavumbagu, editor of the news website NetPress who has been improperly imprisoned since July 17, 2010, on a charge of treason. We call on you to urge the state prosecutor to drop the pending charge against Kavumbagu and secure his release. Committee to Protect Journalists CPJ meets jailed Burundian journalist, calls for his release tag:cpj.org,2010://1.16383 2010-12-09T18:35:53Z 2010-12-09T18:47:41Z Committee to Protect Journalists Burundi Tribune
Bujumbura, December 9, 2010--The Committee to Protect Journalists today called for the release of journalist Jean-Claude Kavumbagu after visiting him in prison in Burundi's capital, Bujumbura. CPJ made the call at a press conference marking the end of a four-day mission to Burundi.

CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney and East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes met with Kavumbagu, at left, editor of the French-language news site Net Press, at Mpimba Prison on Wednesday for more than an hour. 
]]> In Burundi, 2nd editor arrested in less than a month tag:cpj.org,2010://1.15078 2010-08-11T20:57:12Z 2010-08-11T21:08:05Z New York, August 11, 2010--Burundian police on Tuesday arrested Thierry Ndayishimiye, chief editor of the private weekly Arc-en-Ciel, on defamation charges related to a story about alleged government corruption. Ndayishimiye is the second Burundian editor to be jailed in less than a month.... Committee to Protect Journalists New York, August 11, 2010--Burundian police on Tuesday arrested Thierry Ndayishimiye, chief editor of the private weekly Arc-en-Ciel, on defamation charges related to a story about alleged government corruption. Ndayishimiye is the second Burundian editor to be jailed in less than a month.

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