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New York, November 29, 2024 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a harsh seven-year jail sentence handed down to veteran Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu on Friday on espionage charges, and calls for his immediate release.
Dong, 62, a columnist for the state-run newspaper Guangming Daily, was arrested in Beijing in February 2022 while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat, who was also briefly detained. Dong’s work has been published in the Chinese editions of The New York Times and the Financial Times, and he won a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University in 2006-2007.
“Interacting with diplomats is part of a journalist’s job. Jailing journalists on bogus and vicious charges like espionage is a travesty of justice,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. “We condemn this unjust verdict and call on the Chinese authorities to protect the right of journalists to work freely and safely in China. Dong Yuyu must be reunited with his family.”
There was heavy police presence and journalists were asked to leave the court area in the capital Beijing where the sentence was handed down, according to Reuters.
China is the world’s leading jailer of journalists, which had 44 journalists behind bars as of December 1, 2023, according to CPJ’s most recent annual prison census.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to CPJ’s emailed request for a comment on Dong’s sentencing.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by Committee to Protect Journalists.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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A Florida doctor and numerous accomplices have been arrested for a massive pill mill scheme that left scores of people dead from addiction. Mike Papantonio is joined by attorney Peter Mougey who has been on the forefront of opioid litigation in this country. Click here to learn more about Doctor Elaine Sharp’s pill mill scheme. […]
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The Committee to Protect Journalists and six other international press freedom organizations issued a joint statement on Friday, November 22, 2024, condemning the ongoing legal actions against journalists who exposed Greece’s Predator spyware scandal and urged Greek authorities to swiftly implement the European Union’s anti-SLAPP Directive to strengthen protections for journalists amid the growing trend of such lawsuits.
Grigoris Dimitriadis, nephew of the Greek Prime Minister and former Secretary General of the Prime Minister’s Office, filed defamation lawsuits against reporters from several independent outlets following their “landmark reporting on the PredatorGate spyware scandal,” the statement said.
The statement said these lawsuits are “seen as retaliatory attempts to silence critical reporting on matters of significant public interest” and described these legal actions as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), intended to intimidate journalists and suppress public interest reporting.
Read the statement here.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Bogotá, November 12, 2024—Peruvian judicial authorities must stop harassing journalist Gustavo Gorriti and the investigative news website he founded, IDL-Reporteros, and respect the right of reporters to maintain confidential sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.
In an October 25 resolution, Peru Supreme Court Judge Juan Carlos Checkley ordered the Attorney General’s office to compel IDL-Reporteros to turn over audio recordings that were part of its 2018 investigation into judicial corruption and to interrogate Gorriti, its editor-in-chief.
“It is appalling that the Peruvian judicial system is being used to prosecute IDL-Reporteros and Gustavo Gorriti for their work investigating issues of public interest,” said Cristina Zahar, CPJ’s Latin America program coordinator, in São Paulo. “CPJ insists that freedom of expression and the right to maintain confidential sources be respected.”
The resolution came in response to a request from César Hinostroza, a fugitive former Supreme Court judge who fled to Belgium. Hinostroza, whose recorded conversations with government officials formed part of IDL-Reporteros’ 2018 investigation, is under investigation for corruption and influence peddling.
Gorriti told CPJ that the aim of Checkley’s order is to get IDL-Reporteros to reveal the names of its sources from the 2018 investigation. “No matter what happens, we are not going to reveal our confidential sources,” he said via messaging app.
Adriana León, spokesperson for the Lima-based Institute for Press and Society, told CPJ that Peru’s constitution protects the rights of journalists to maintain the secrecy of confidential sources.
There was no response to CPJ’s calls to the Attorney General’s office.
A 1998 IPFA awardee, Gorriti is Peru’s most prominent investigative reporter. In 2009, he founded IDL-Reporteros, the journalism arm of the Legal Defense Institute, an independent organization dedicated to fighting corruption and improving justice in Peru.
Partly as a result of IDL-Reporteros’ scoops, dozens of Peruvian public officials, lawyers, judges, and business people are under investigation for criminal acts. But there has also been a fierce backlash against IDL-Reporteros and Gorriti, who has been targeted by right-wing protesters and government officials.
In July 2018, CPJ reported that police and prosecution officials went to IDL-Reporteros’ office to demand they hand over materials used in stories about government corruption, but left after they were unable to show a warrant.
In March 2024, a public prosecutor in Lima launched a bribery investigation of Gorriti for allegedly promoting the work of two public prosecutors in exchange for scoops about political corruption investigations. Gorriti has called that investigation “absurd.”
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Dakar, November 7, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Togolese authorities to reverse their three-month suspension of Tampa Express after the bi-monthly newspaper criticized a government minister.
“Togolese authorities must allow Tampa Express to resume publication without delay,” said Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa program, in Durban. “Media regulations should be used to encourage good practice, not to deploy disproportionate punishments or censorship.”
The regulatory High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) said in its November 4 statement, reviewed by CPJ, that it had suspended the privately owned Tampa Express for the publication of false information “without evidence” and repeated violations of ethical conduct.
The HAAC said that Tampa Express’ October 30 report criticized the political influence of Sandra Ablamba Ahoéfavi Johnson, who is Minister, Secretary General of the Presidency and Togo’s Governor at the World Bank. The article also alleged that she blocked the appointment of three people to the HAAC.
Tampa Express publishing director Francisco Napo-Koura told CPJ that the regulator had taken issue with the headline, which described Johnson as the “rising star of the ‘whores’ of the republic.” Napo-Koura said the phrase was a reference to France’s Christine Deviers-Joncour, who had an affair with the country’s foreign minister and wrote a book called “Whore of the Republic.” Both women had significant influence over government policies, he said.
The HAAC said it was the fourth time since 2022 that it had summoned Tampa Express publishing director Francisco Napo-Koura for violating the “professional rules of journalism.”
In 2023, the regulator suspended Tampa Express for three months over a report about alleged corporate mismanagement, following a complaint from the firm’s former general manager.
Napo-Koura told CPJ that he is awaiting a trial date in a defamation case related to the same report, after the trial was postponed on October 9.
HAAC spokesman Patrick Adom referred CPJ to the regulator’s existing decision.
CPJ’s request for comment to the Presidency via its website did not immediately receive a reply.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Durban, November 4, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Gambian President Adama Barrow’s decision to withdraw a civil defamation lawsuit against The Voice newspaper and its editor-in-chief and urges Attorney General Dawda A. Jallow to drop related false news charges against the editor and a colleague.
“We are relieved that President Barrow responded to appeals from local media representatives, the National Human Rights Commission, and CPJ by retracting the lawsuit against The Voice and its editor Musa Sekour Sheriff,” said Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa program. “We trust that the false news charges will also be dropped by the time Sheriff and his colleague, Momodou Justice Darboe, next appear in criminal court.”
Information Minister Ismaila Ceesay, Gambian Press Union President Muhammed S. Bah, and the Newspaper Publishers’ Association told CPJ by messaging app that representatives of the local groups and the Media Council were informed that the president would withdraw the lawsuit unconditionally when they met him at the State House in the capital of Banjul on Monday. According to Bah, Seine, and Sheriff, the false news charges are expected to be dropped before Sheriff and Darboe’s criminal trial resumes on December 10.
Sheriff and Darboe were arrested on September 26 in Banjul when they arrived for police questioning a day after receiving a letter from the president’s lawyer threatening a civil defamation lawsuit over an article alleging that Barrow was preparing an exit plan and had chosen a successor for the 2026 presidential election. The journalists were then charged with false publication and broadcasting.CPJ urged Barrow in a September 27 letter that the charges be dropped. On October 7, CPJ wrote to Gambia’s National Human Rights Commission chairperson, Emmanuel Joof, seeking mediation. Joof and Commissioner Iman Baba Leigh met Barrow on October 23 at the president’s holiday retreat to raise the issue, and also met Sheriff five days later, Jarboo and Sheriff told CPJ.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by Committee to Protect Journalists.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Eric Adams, the Democratic mayor of New York City, has now been indicted on multiple counts of bribery, fraud, and corruption. Plus, Julian Assange is a free man after spending 5 years in prison and 7 years at a consulate in England. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more.
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Attorney General Merrick Garland recently held a press conference to boast about a massive fine that the DOJ had leveled against one of the largest banks in the country. The bank pleaded guilty to laundering money for drug cartels in a scheme that lasted for an entire decade. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: *This transcript was […]
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A popular birth control that is used by over 70 million women each year has been linked to an increase risk of developing potentially-fatal brain tumors, but the company behind the product hasn’t been honest about the side effects of this medication. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Click here to find out more about Depo-Provera lawsuits. Transcript: […]
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America’s Lawyer E121: The DOJ recently announced a $3 billion fine against the tenth largest bank in the country after they pleaded guilty to laundering money for drug cartels. But the fine is nothing compared to the money that they made off the scam. The FBI is conducting an investigation into one of the most […]
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Abuja, October 31, 2024–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ghanaian authorities to swiftly investigate and hold accountable the security guards who attacked four journalists and media workers working for the privately owned Multimedia Group conglomerate at a mining site in the country’s southern Ashanti region.
On October 20, at least 10 armed security guards working for Edelmetallum Resources Limited, a mining company operating in Ghana, detained and beat journalist Erastus Asare Donkor, camera technician Edward Suantah, drone pilot Majid Alidu, and driver Arko Edward as they reported on alleged environmental degradation associated with one of the company’s mines, according to Donkor and Edward, who spoke with CPJ.
“Authorities in Ghana must swiftly investigate and hold accountable the security guards of Edelmetallum Resources Limited responsible for attacking journalists and media workers Erastus Asare Donkor, Edward Suantah, Majid Alidu, and Arko Edward,” said Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa Program, in Johannesburg. “Reporting on environmental degradation is a matter of public interest, and too often no one is held accountable when the press in Ghana is attacked.”
The guards seized at least five phones, five drone batteries, a Lenovo tablet, a branded press jacket, and a headset, Donkor and Edward told CPJ. After forcing the crew to drive away with them, the guards deleted all information on at least two phones and made them delete their images. They also beat the media workers with their hands for at least 30 minutes. The guards later returned only the phones.
After the attack, Donkor had difficulty using his right eye, Edward had a swollen face, and Suantah and Alidu had ringing in their ears, according to Donkor and Edward.
The crew reported the attack to police and led them to the site, but the guards refused to go to the police station, Donkor said. Police later announced that three of the attackers had surrendered and were granted bail, he said.
CPJ’s calls to police spokesperson Grace Ansah-Akrofi for comment on the investigation went unanswered.
Edelmetallum’s managing director, Philip Edem Kutsienyo, said by phone that he did not want to speak with CPJ.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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The FBI is conducting an investigation into one of the most popular corporate bankruptcy judges in America after he resigned in disgrace following a massive scandal that may have corrupted countless rulings. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more.
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Dakar, October 30, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the release of journalist Bakary Gamalo Bamba, director of the bimonthly newspaper Le Baobab, who has been detained since October 20 on charges of invasion of privacy.
“Guinean authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Bakary Gamalo Bamba, who has been jailed since October 20, when he recorded a judge as part of his work,” said Angela Quintal, head of CPJ’s Africa program, in Johannesburg. “The fact that Guinean law protects against journalists being jailed for their work, except for narrow circumstances, only enhances the injustice of Bamba’s arrest and detention.”
On October 20, Francis Kova Zoumanigui, a judge and president of Guinea’s Court for the Repression of Economic and Financial Crimes, slapped Bamba and doused him with wine after discovering that the journalist was recording their meeting at the judge’s home in Conakry, the Guinean capital, according to a statement by the Syndicate of Press Professionals in Guinea (SPPG). Bamba, 68, said during his trial that he recorded their discussion so that he could take notes about a case he was investigating, did not intend to name the judge in his report, and that a security agent for Zoumanigui had beaten him on the judge’s instruction.
Zoumanigui told CPJ that Bamba didn’t present himself as a journalist and had not been mistreated. “I don’t wish him any jail time, but I had to clean up my image after the false accusations spread by the press,” he added.
On Tuesday, a judge rejected Bamba lawyer’s request to release the journalist and set November 12 as the date for closing arguments.
Bamba’s detention violates Guinea’s press freedom law, which states that journalists should not be jailed for offenses committed in the exercise of his profession, according to the SPPG. Under Article 132, a journalist living in Guinea may not be detained for their work, except for a few specific offenses, such as contempt for the head of state and dissemination of false news.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Texas has become the hub for corporate bankruptcy cases where big businesses try to avoid paying out lawsuits, and one judge in particular oversees most of those cases. So it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that this judge is about as corrupt as possible, and reports suggest that an illicit affair that he had with […]
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Texas has become the hub for corporate bankruptcy cases where big businesses try to avoid paying out lawsuits, and one judge in particular oversees most of those cases. So it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that this judge is about as corrupt as possible, and reports suggest that an illicit affair that he had with […]
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The state of Kentucky has filed a lawsuit against one of the largest pharmacy benefit manger companies for their role in fueling the opioid crisis and the thousands of deaths that came along with it. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: *This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.
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The Johnson and Johnson talcum powder lawsuits have taken an interesting turn as the company tries to avoid paying out victims. We now have law firms fighting against each other as some firms are trying to force a quick, and very low, payout so they can pay off their own debts. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: […]
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America’s Lawyer E120: A Secret Service agent is now under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a staffer of Vice President Harris after a campaign rally in Wisconsin. Johnson & Johnson’s attempts to avoid paying victims what they deserve has now reached a point where law firms are fighting each other – with some looking for […]
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Lawsuits have been filed against the makers of chemical hair relaxers after decades’ worth of studies have shown that the chemicals in these products can cause cancers and other serious health problems in women. Then, during a recent interview with Rachel Maddow, Hillary Clinton said that any American caught using Russian talking points should be […]
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According to a new report, the FBI began spying on anti-war activists on US soil after they protested the expansion of a military base. This isn’t the first time that the FBI has been caught doing this, and it certainly won’t be the last. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: *This transcript was generated by a third-party […]
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Disgraced former Senator Bob Menendez is begging the court to toss out his recent felony convictions by claiming that he actually had the right to be corrupt as hell because of a Congressional rule called the “Speech or Debate Clause.”. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: *This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so […]
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CPJ joined three other international press freedom and human rights organizations in an October 18 letter to U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressing concerns over delays in the citizen application of Zaina Erhaim, an award-winning exiled Syrian journalist who has lived in the U.K. since 2017 and has been targeted by Syrian authorities due to her work.
Erhaim applied for British citizenship in October 2023. Despite the process typically taking six months, her case has been delayed for over a year. The U.K. Home Office informed Erhaim that external “agencies” were conducting investigations into her application without providing a timeline.
The letter expressed concern that, given Syria’s previous efforts to interfere with the journalist’s travel and U.K. residency, this delay may be another instance of persecution for her journalistic work. The letter urged U.K. authorities to be “fully transparent about the nature of its enquiries” into her application and ensure that Erhaim is not again exposed to the persecution she was forced to flee.
Read the full letter here.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Lusaka, October 18, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Zambian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release investigative journalist Thomas Allan Zgambo who has been held at a police station in the capital Lusaka since October 16, without charge.
“Zambian authorities should drop all criminal cases against investigative journalist Thomas Zgambo and allow him to work freely,” said CPJ Africa Program coordinator Muthoki Mumo, in Nairobi. “The judicial harassment of Zgambo exposes the emptiness of President Hakainde Hichilema’s repeated commitments to press freedom.”
When CPJ visited Zgambo in a police cell on October 17, he said that the police noted his alleged offense as criminal libel while recording his arrest at the station. Zgambo’s lawyer, Jonas Zimba, confirmed to CPJ that his client had not been charged.
This is Zgambo’s third arrest within a year.
In November 2023, Zgambo was detained for four days on a charge of seditious practices — which carries a sentence of up to seven years — over an article he wrote for the online news outlet Zambian Whistleblower criticizing the government over food imports.
In August, he was arrested for a second time on a sedition charge for his commentary calling on the government to reveal any links between a property it leased and Hichilema. Both cases are still pending in court.
Zgambo’s latest arrest came hours after Hichilema promised to uphold press freedom in a speech read on his behalf by information minister Cornelius Mweetwa.
“These persistent arrests over my reporting are meant to silence me so that I begin to report positively about the government,” Zgambo told CPJ from his police cell.
CPJ’s requests for comment via phone and messaging app on October 18 to Hichilema, presidential spokesperson Clayson Hamasaka, and police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga did not immediately any replies.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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The Committee to Protect Journalist and 18 other civil society organizations called on Guatemalan authorities to respect the independence of the judiciary at an October 18 hearing over the release of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora from pre-trial detention.
The statement highlights a “deeply troubling trend” of criminalizing and intimidating human rights defenders, including Judge Rodolfo Traheta Córdova, who has been threatened ahead of Friday’s hearing.
Zamora, 67, founder of the now defunct elPeriódico newspaper, was arrested more than 800 days ago and has been waiting for a retrial after his conviction on money laundering charges was overturned in October 2023. Legal experts have said that Zamora’s rights to a fair trial have been violated in what is widely seen as a politically motivated case of arbitrary detention.
Read the full statement here.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.This post was originally published on Radio Free.