Anti-gay moves in Uganda threaten media
By MUTHOKI MUMO, sub-Saharan representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists Kuchu Times was founded eight years ago to give voice to Uganda’s LGBTQ+ community. Now, a new anti-homosexuality law is threatening this mission at a time when LGBTQ+ Ugandans are facing beatings and evictions. “People will tell us their stories and ask us not to put them out […]
India urged to rethink sedition law
The Committee to Protect Journalists has urged the Indian government to repeal the country’s sedition law and reject recommendations from the Law Commission to retain and expand the legislation, saying it would impinge on press freedom. The commission, which advises the government on legal reforms, has recommended retaining the country’s sedition law, expanding the definition of sedition, and increasing the […]
Pakistani journalists mourn yet another colleague
Picture shows members of Khairpur Press Club demonstrating for justice for Ghulam Asghar Khand. Ghulam Asghar Khand, pictured, a journalist with the Sindhi Daily Sobh in Pakistan, has been attacked and killed in Ahmadpur town of Khairpur district. Reports from there say a number of men riding motorcycles approached him while he was at his guest […]
Anti-corruption campaigning journalist killed in Lesotho
The killing of an outspoken radio journalist, Ralikonelo ‘Leqhashasha’ Joki, pictured, in Lesotho has been condemned by media and civil rights campaigners. “I deplore the killing of Ralikonelo Joki. I urge authorities to investigate this crime and hold those involved to account. Violent attacks on journalists must not be used to discourage them from conducting […]
Pressure mounts on Rwanda over death of investigative journalist Ntwali
The CJA is among leading human rights and free speech movements from many parts of the world who have questioned the circumstances around the death of the Rwandan investigative journalist John Williams Ntwali, and demanded an independent inquiry. See picture of family and colleagues at the funeral of Mr Ntwali in January. A total of […]
Free speech in Ghana “being muzzled”
The Media Foundation of West Africa along with three other media organisations has called on the government to annul aspects of two laws which continue to criminalise free expression, even though Ghana repealed its criminal libel law two decades ago. The call which was made by the MFWA together with the Ghana Journalists Association, Ghana […]
Intimidation in Guyana condemned
Press freedom activists in the Caribbean have strongly condemned the intimidation of journalists in Guyana. The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) and the network IFEX-ALC, which promotes freedom of expression in the Caribbean and Latin America, said in a statement they stood in solidarity with named journalists Davina Bagot, Nazima Raghubir, Tamica Garnett and […]
Fighting for a safe media in the face of “extremists and corrupt politicians”
Picture shows RMNP President Ehsan Ahmed Sehar, left, handing over some of the UNESCO material on journalist protection to Professor Sadiq Hussein. The Pakistani press freedom and training organisation, Rural Media Network Pakistan, celebrated International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists with a journalists’ safety seminar, attended by academics, political leaders and civil […]
The complex legacy of a flawed leader … remembering Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
By SYED BADRUL AHSAN On 4 April 1979, long before dawn, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, pictured, Pakistan’s first elected leader, was hanged, on the pretext of a Supreme Court verdict but really on the patent orders of its third military ruler, General Ziaul Haq, in Rawalpindi jail. It was a tragic end to the life of […]
Damning indictment of journalistic safety in the Commonwealth
A comprehensive summary of media freedom throughout the Commonwealth has been published by the Commonwealth Foundation, and it reaches some damning conclusions. The report was released as the Foundation held a major online conference, promoted as a Critical Conversation intended to build alliances and understand strategies and approaches that can be used to make meaningful progress […]