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DonateRoxana Saberi was released on Monday after more than four
months imprisonment at
Committee to Protect Journalists
CPJ Blog
Press Freedom News and Views
Mariwan Hama-Saeed
Mariwan Hama-Saeed served as CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa research consultant. He is a founder of Metro Center, a press freedom group in Iraqi Kurdistan.Ever since Radio Kalima staffers launched their new station
on January 26
The now infamous incident of
Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi throwing his shoes at President George Bush
became primetime news throughout the world. In the
Shwan Dawdi, editor-in-chief of the Kirkuk-based newspaper Hawal, sent a letter thanking CPJ for its help in overturning his conviction and one-month prison term. "I would like to express ... my thanks and gratitude for your noble and courageous position to defend the freedom of the press and journalists," Dawdi wrote.
We received a large package from the Tunisian Embassy in
Yemeni editor Abdel Karim al-Khaiwani walked out of a Sana'a prison today after being granted a presidential pardon. The outspoken journalist was serving a six-year prison term on what were widely seen as retaliatory antistate charges. Al-Khaiwani, whose case was the focus of a CPJ advocacy campaign, offered his gratitude.
I thank the Committee to Protect Journalists. It had a vital role in standing with me during all stages of the case, and I feel that CPJ had a huge role in the achievement that we gained today.
Bloggers across the
Web are showing their solidarity with Mohamed Erraji, a Moroccan blogger who
was sentenced to two years in prison last week for "failing to show respect for
the king."
A Moroccan court
convicted Erraji, 29, a contributor to HesPress, a Moroccan daily news Web site, on Monday in a closed, 10-minute trial. On September 3, Erraji
published an
article on HesPress criticizing
King Mohamed VI for rewarding people who praise him. He was arrested the next day and convicted the day after that,
without a defense lawyer. CPJ condemned the
court's decision yesterday. Today,
the court of appeal in Agadir granted Erraji bail until the appeal is heard. A
member of his family told CPJ that he can't predict what will happen, but that
the court "might increase or decrease the sentence, or might decide that
Mohamed is innocent."
Bloggers have set
up Help
Erraji, Free Erraji, and Facebook
group Free Moroccan Blogger
Mohammed Erraji.
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