Asia

For the past several weeks, CPJ's Asia and Journalist Assistance programs have been in regular contact with local and international organizations who are concerned about the rising number of journalists and media workers at risk in Pakistan. CPJ and several other groups are working together on viable, in-country solutions: Journalists in Pakistan are in need of trauma counseling, urgent relocation, or support so that they may remain in hiding and avoid threats or physical attacks.

New York, August 29, 2011--A Chinese microblog's announcement that it suspended two accounts for spreading rumors may be an attempt to rein in online news reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Three Chinese writers who have spent time in prison for articles published online are suing California-based Cisco Systems Inc., according to international news reports. The suit accuses the company of providing information and technology to Chinese authorities that facilitated the writers' detentions--allegations that Cisco flatly denies. Chinese security officials have already interrogated one of the plaintiffs, according to his lawyer. Will the case against Cisco protect him and others in China from further repercussions? 

New York, August 24, 2011--Police in Negros Occidental province must thoroughly investigate Monday's murder of radio commentator Niel Jimena, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. CPJ is investigating the killing to determine whether it was work-related.

Two photojournalists said they were beaten by police and detained for several hours while they were covering a protest that escalated into a violent clash between youth and government forces in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on August 19, 2011, international news reports said.

New York, August 22, 2011--A midday attack on three Khyber TV personnel in central Peshawar underscores the vulnerability of Pakistan journalists as the country's security situation grows more precarious, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

New York, August 19, 2011--The demotion of a magazine president and suspension of an editor for an interview deemed critical of a Communist Party legend are the latest punitive steps taken by authorities against mainstream journalists in China, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In a blog entry on August 5, "Quantifying the threat to journalists in Pakistan," CPJ's Sheryl Mendez and I tried to measure what seems to be a rising number of threats aimed at journalists in Pakistan. We wrote about how the problem is rapidly growing as Pakistan's security situation worsens and the civilian government appears unwilling or unable to act. It is, however, tough to quantify the problem when so many journalists fear disclosing the threats they receive. 

New York, August 15, 2011--Alarm continues to mount for the safety of Pakistani journalists with the assassination of a reporter on Sunday in restive Baluchistan, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Also, a senior reporter remains missing in Waziristan, after being abducted on August 11.

New York, August 15, 2011--Information authorities in China should cease censorship of environmental protests in Liaoning province, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.