Articles by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Six journalists receive CPJ’s International Press Freedom Awards
(CPJ/IFEX) – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) presented the 1997 International Press Freedom Awards on 23 October 1997 to six courageous journalists who have provided independent news coverage and viewpoints in the face of arrest, imprisonment, violence against them and their families, and threats of death. Receiving the awards in gala ceremonies in the […]
Newspaper editor target of repeated arrests
(CPJ/IFEX) – Ajit Bhuyan, editor of the widely read Assamese-language newspaper “Asomiya Protidin” (“Assamese Daily”) and its sister paper, the Assamese-language weekly “Sadin” (“Seven Days”), has been the target of repeated arrests since August 1997. According to news reports, Bhuyan has been linked by state authorities to the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) […]
CPJ sends open letter to Chinese President calling for improvements in press freedom in China
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a open letter written by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to Chinese President Jiang Zemin on the occasion of his state visit to the United States of America from 26 October to 2 November 1997. In the letter, CPJ urges Zemin to order the release from prison of sixteen […]
Journalist Gustavo Gorriti granted work visa by Panamanian government
(CPJ/IFEX) – Gustavo Gorriti, associate director of the opposition daily “La Prensa”, was granted a work visa by the Panamanian government on 15 October 1997, ending the threat of expulsion from that country. **Updates IFEX alerts dated 22 September and 7 August 1997** Background Information On 4 August, in apparent response to Gorriti’s investigative reporting, […]
Authorities temporarily cut independent radio station off its main frequency
(CPJ/IFEX) – On 13 October 1997, the state-run telecommunications company, Slovak Telecom, cut the popular independent radio station Radio Twist off its main frequency for 25 hours, citing unpaid bills for the use of its transmitter in the capital, Bratislava. Andrei Hric, the station’s owner and general manager, said Radio Twist was switched off without […]
Update on the state of press freedom in Sierra Leone
(CPJ/IFEX)- On 11 October 1997, John Foray, acting editor of the newspaper “Democrat”, and freelancer Abdul Kposwa were beaten and arrested by army officers who then took them to Pademba Road prison where they were detained without charge. Elsewhere, Umaru Fofana, a freelancer for the “Vision” newspaper and a stringer for the British Broadcasting Corporation […]
Editor of state-run newspaper arrested on charges of revealing state secrets
(CPJ/IFEX) – On 8 October 1997, Nguyen Hoang Linh, the editor of the state-run business newspaper “Doang Nghiep” (“Enterprise”), was arrested on charges of revealing state secrets. The arrest and charges, which were confirmed by the management of the newspaper on 12 October, were linked to reports authored by Linh in “Doang Nghiep” that explored […]
Journalists under investigation
(CPJ/IFEX)- On 1 October 1997, Kwesi Biney, a correspondent for the “African Observer”, received a call from the economic crime bureau of Accra police asking him to report to the Criminal Investigation Department the following day. Biney, who was accompanied to the meeting by “African Observer” circulation manager Frank Awuah, was informed that he was […]