News

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, October 9, 2007 - The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Philippine government to act quickly to apprehend the gunmen who shot and seriously wounded radio commentator Jose Pantoja on Monday in the city of Iligan, about 500 miles (800 kilometers) southeast of Manila. Pantoja was a "block time" broadcaster - an independent commentator who leased time from radio...

(IFJ/IFEX) - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has strongly condemned plans by the Thai National Legislative Assembly to extend laws that restrict media coverage of cases dealing with the royal family and advisors. Under these proposed amendments to lese majeste laws, journalists could face three years' imprisonment and be fined 60,000 baht (approximately US$1900) for ignoring a...

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 3 October 2007, Miltón Otero and Julio Daniel Otero, photographer and editor, respectively, of the fortnightly paper "El Observador", were beaten by a mob comprised of supporters of the political coalition Colombia Democrática. The attack was led by former mayor José Bentín Figueroa and the teacher Rafael Figueroa Flórez, and took place when the journalists were taking pictures of...

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, October 9, 2007 - The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned by a recent crackdown on the Internet in China in advance of the 17th Communist Party Congress. The Congress, which is held every five years, is set to begin in Beijing on October 15 and is expected to formally promote a new generation of party leaders. In recent weeks, authorities have intensified...

(JED/IFEX) - On 8 October 2007, the National Communication Council (Conseil national de la communication, CNC), Gabon's media regulatory body, suspended two newspapers: "La Nation", a privately-owned bi-monthly based in the capital, Libreville, and "Le Gri-Gri International", a satirical, privately-owned bi-monthly published in Paris, but distributed in Gabon. In a statement that appeared on 8...

(IMI/IFEX) - On 9 October 2007, the harshly critical journalist Vitaliy Portnikov resigned as editor-in-chief of "Gazeta 24" daily newspaper and of the media holding "MediaDim". Portnikov cited "political censorship" as the motive for his resignation in an open letter to the journalists and to readers of "Gazeta 24". The text of his letter follows: "I regret to inform you that I had to cease...

(SEAPA/IFEX) - The Cambodian Ministry of Information has suspended for a month the "Khmer Amatak" newspaper for refusing to publish a correction the ministry requested over a controversial article in the newspaper. The article, published on 24 September 2007, said that two senior officials from the ruling Funcinpec party, Secretary General Nhiek Bun Chhay and Minister of State Serey Kosal, had...

(IAPA/IFEX) - IAPA questions accumulated "points" leading to early release of Orlando Sierra murderer The organization calls on Colombian's president Uribe not to stigmatize journalists, citing the case of an El Nuevo Herald correspondent MIAMI, Florida (October 8, 2007) - The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today expressed dissatisfaction at the Sept. 30 release from prison in Colombia of...

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) - Information Commissioners from six European countries have added their voices to a broad coalition of over 500 NGOs and individuals calling on the Council of Europe to reinforce its proposed European Convention on Access to Official Documents. The drafting group, which convenes for its last scheduled meeting from October 9 - 12, also faces calls from the OSCE to ensure the...

(IFJ/IFEX) - The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the regional group of the International Federation of Journalists, today announced its support for the "Perpignan Call," a petition in favor of the right to information through pictures and the right to publish news photographs. The petition was jointly launched by the International Festival of Photojournalism "Visa pour l?Image" and by...