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21 June 2007

Russian editor released after months in detention; case still pending

New York, June 21, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the recent release of Vladimir Chugunov, founder and editor of the independent weekly Chugunka inthe town ofSolnechnogorsk, who had been held incommunicado since January 21 on a charge of “threatening to murder or cause serious health damage.” The criminal case is still pending, however, and CPJ today called on authorities to...

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21 June 2007

Spanish daily and Catalan feminist face trial in Wroclaw for “defaming Poland”

Reporters Without Borders today condemned a lawsuit that was brought against the Spanish daily El País in the southwestern city of Wroclaw on 5 June accusing it of “defaming the Polish people” in an article by former Spanish parliamentarian Pilar Rahola entitled “Poland still freezes the soul” that was published on 17 March. “We deplore the use, for the first time, of article 132 of the Polish...

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21 June 2007

CPJ urges UN to re-examine accreditation policy

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed concern at the United Nations’ refusal to accredit journalists from states not recognised by the UN General Assembly. In its rigid application of this policy, the organisation has excluded these journalists from entering any UN facility anywhere in the world. Journalists from Taiwan have been particularly affected by this policy and were

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21 June 2007

One year after its creation, Human Rights Council achieves disturbingly little

A year after the creation of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, Reporters Without Borders today voiced deep concern about the new body’s functioning and, in particular, the obstructionist manoeuvres by member countries that are the worst human rights violators. A year after the creation of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to replace the discredited UN Human Rights Commission...

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21 June 2007

US Journalists dole out cash to politicians (quietly)

BOSTON - A CNN reporter gave $500 to John Kerry's campaign the same month he was embedded with the U.S. Army in Iraq. An assistant managing editor at Forbes magazine not only sent $2,000 to Republicans, but also volunteers as a director of an ExxonMobil-funded group that questions global warming. A junior editor at Dow Jones Newswires gave $1,036 to the liberal group MoveOn.org and keeps a blog...

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21 June 2007

Philippine troops kill 2 Muslim militants linked to kidnappings, journalist's death

MANILA, Philippines: Philippine marines have killed two brothers who allegedly belonged to the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf group and were accused of kidnappings and the killing of a photojournalist, military officials said Thursday. Troops killed Itting Sailani in a clash Tuesday in the hinterlands near Sumisip town on southern Basilan island and then fatally shot his brother, Anni, in an operation...

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21 June 2007

Zimbabwe: Journalists to Help Market Zim Tourism

Fifteen European journalists, who are in the country on a weeklong familiarisation tour, are expected to help Zimbabwe tap into the lucrative European markets. The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority's marketing and communications director, Mr Givemore Chidzidzi, said recently the hosting of the journalists from one of Zimbabwe's leading tourist markets was part of the authority's perception management...

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21 June 2007

IFJ demands release of kidnapped Pakistani kournalist Khosa

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has written to the Pakistan government demanding immediate action to ensure the safe release of abducted journalist Latif Khosa. According to local reports Khosa, from the Urdu-language daily Jang, has been held by the army since his June 17 arrest. Khosa was arrested in the southwestern province of Balochistan, reportedly under the orders of an...

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21 June 2007

No compromise from BBC reporter's captors

GAZA CITY - The captors of BBC journalist Alan Johnston balked yesterday at demands by Hamas to release him and repeated their threats to kill him if Britain failed to free an Islamist prisoner, the SITE Intelligence Group reported. The warning came as Mr. Johnston was spending his 100th day in captivity in the Gaza Strip and Hamas said it was still working to secure his release. "Unless they...

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21 June 2007

Efforts on for arrest of Pak journalist's killers

ISLAMABAD, Jun 21 (APP): Minister of State for Interior Zafar Iqbal Warraich informed the National Assembly on Wednesday that efforts were being made for arrest of the killers of Nisar Solangi, Khabron reporter in Khairpur killed on June 17. Speaking on a point of order raised by PPPP leader Manzoor Wasan he said according to FIR registered by the brother of slain journalist he was killed by...

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