Tag Archives: Journalist

Mexican Journalists Stand in Solidarity with US journalists

PENMarch 6, 2017

To our colleagues in the United States of America,

At this time of an unprecedented, relentless assault on the free press of the United States by the Trump administration, we Mexican journalists, writers, and publishers stand in solidarity with you as you do your crucial work. Continue reading

Hong Kong daily Sing Pao says its journalists and website are under attack

New York, February 22, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Hong Kong authorities to investigate the harassment of journalists at the daily Sing Pao. Sing Pao Media Enterprises, which owns the paper, released a statement yesterday saying that staff have been followed and harassed, and that the newspaper’s computer system was attacked. Continue reading

Arrest of Journalists Intimidates Press at Crucial Moment for Reporting on Mass Protest

NEW YORK—The arrests of several journalists covering protests in Washington, D.C., on felony riot charges is an alarming encroachment on the right of the press to document public demonstrations, PEN America said in a statement today.

Evan Engel of Vocativ, Alex Rubinstein of RT America, freelance journalist Aaron Cantu, and documentary producer Jack Keller were arrested while covering protests on the day of Donald J. Trump’s inauguration, along with at least two other independent journalists. They appear to have been caught up in mass arrests by police after some protesters committed acts of vandalism. Rubinstein, Engel, and Keller have stated that they identified themselves as press to the police, but were arrested anyway.

Felony riot charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

“Even a few weeks ago, the prospect of large numbers of journalists in America facing criminal charges, fines, and prison terms for doing their jobs would have seemed far-fetched,” said Suzanne Nossel, Executive Director of PEN America. “By slapping these journalists with felony charges, the U.S. Attorney’s office is intimidating the press at a time when mass protests are expanding and there is a pressing need for accurate reporting in the public interest. It is the obligation of our government officials to enable rather than impair that. The U.S. Attorney should drop these charges immediately.”

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PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.

CONTACT
Sarah Edkins, Director of Communications: [email protected], +1.646.779.4830

Source: https://pen.org/press-release/journalists-arrested-riot-charges-dc/

China Holds 38 Journalists Behind Bars in 2016: Press Freedom Group

tianwang-human-rights-website-founder-huang-qiNearly 40 journalists are currently behind bars amid an ongoing crackdown by the ruling Chinese Communist Party on the media this year, according to a new report from a U.S.-based press freedom group. Continue reading

China: PEN renews its calls to release all writers, journalists and publishers

pen-digital-freedom-logo7 December 2016

RAN 24/16

 

 

Ahead of World Human Rights Day, PEN International reiterates its calls on the Chinese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all writers, journalists, bloggers and publishers held for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of opinion, expression and association. The number of detained and imprisoned writers in China is among the highest in the world. PEN also calls on the authorities to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights without further delay. Continue reading

Journalist still under house arrest, cannot receive treatment abroad

gao-yu1A Beijing court has told journalist Gao Yu that she can continue serving her five-year jail term under a form of house arrest for another year from 26 November but has warned her that she could be sent her back to prison “at any time.”

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2016 RSF-TV5 Monde Press Freedom Prize: Prize awarded to Syrian and Chinese journalists, website

2016-rsfThe 2016 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) – TV5 Monde Press Freedom Prize will be awarded to Syrian reporter Hadi Abdullah, the Chinese news website 64Tianwang, and Chinese citizen journalists Lu Yuyu and Li Tingyu at a ceremony in Strasbourg tomorrow evening (8 November). Continue reading

Rights Groups Call For Release of Chinese Citizen Journalist Detained at G20

citizen-journalist-yuan-ying

Citizen journalist Yuan Ying, one of the Tianwang contributors already released, is shown in an undated photo. RFA

Chinese police are still holding a citizen journalist detained during the G20 summit in Hangzhou last month, prompting calls for her release from an international rights group concerned that she may be at risk of torture. Continue reading