Pakistani journalist Waheed Murad seized from home in the night
Editor’s Note: On 28 March, an Islamabad court granted Waheed Murad bail and he was released directly from court on a surety bond of 20,000 rupees (US$71), his lawyer Imaan Mazari told CPJ. New York, March 27, 2025—Pakistani authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Waheed Murad, who was taken away by masked men who…
Jordanian publisher arrested under cybercrime law after ex-PM complains
Beirut, March 20, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the March 17 arrest of Jordanian publisher Omar Al Zayood, following a complaint by former Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh that Zayood’s Al Hashmiyah News site published an inaccurate report about him, and calls on authorities to stop using the cybercrime law to silence…
CPJ urges Tunisia president to release journalist Mohamed Boughalleb
The Committee to Protect Journalists sent a letter to Tunisian President Kais Saied on February 12 asking him to secure the release of journalist Mohamed Boughalleb, whose health is gravely worsening, and to repeal the cybercrime law Decree 54. Boughalleb, a reporter with local independent channel Carthage Plus and local independent radio station Cap FM,…
Free speech fears mount as Pakistan’s Senate approves bill criminalizing ‘false news’
New York, January 28, 2025—Pakistan’s Senate on Tuesday passed controversial amendments to the country’s cybercrime laws, which would criminalize the “intentional” spread of “false news” with prison terms of up to three years, a fine of up to 2 million rupees (USD$7,100), or both. The amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) were…
Journalist Ahmed al-Zoubi jailed in Jordan 11 months after conviction under Cybercrime Law
Istanbul, July 8, 2024—Jordanian authorities must immediately drop all charges against journalist Ahmed Hassan al-Zoubi, release him from jail, and stop using the Cybercrime Law against journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On July 2, Jordanian authorities arrested al-Zoubi, a satirical journalist and publisher of the Sawalif news website, 11 months after he…
Niger reinstates prison sentences for journalists for defamation, insult
Dakar, June 20, 2024—Nigerien authorities must decriminalize defamation and ensure that the country’s cybercrime law does not unduly restrict the work of the media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday. On June 7, Niger’s head of state Abdourahamane Tchiani, who overthrew the democratically elected president in July 2023, reintroduced prison sentences of one…
New Jordanian cybercrime law criminalizes ‘fake news’ online
Beirut, August 15, 2023—In response to Jordanian authorities passing a new cybercrime law that threatens press freedom online, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “The new cybercrime law approved by Jordanian King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein is alarming, and could see journalists facing harsh prison terms and huge fines over…
Malawi police detain, charge journalist Dorica Mtenje over story she did not write
Lusaka, Zambia, February 22, 2023—Malawian authorities should immediately drop defamation and cyber-related charges against Maravi Post journalist Dorica Mtenje and allow her to report free from legal harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On February 8, police in the capital Lilongwe summoned Mtenje via phone to appear the following day for questioning over…
Bangladeshi journalist Imran Hossain Titu investigated under Digital Security Act
On April 5, 2022, the Barisal Cyber Tribunal, which adjudicates alleged cybercrime offenses in Bangladesh’s southern Barisal division, accepted a complaint against Imran Hossain Titu, the Barguna district correspondent for privately owned broadcaster Ekattor TV, for allegedly violating the Digital Security Act, according to a statement by the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, a local…
CPJ welcomes Nigerian journalist Luka Binniyat’s release on bail, calls for end to prosecution
Abuja, February 4, 2022 — In response to the release on bail Thursday of Luka Binniyat, a Nigerian freelance reporter for the U.S.-based news outlet The Epoch Times, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for the charges against him to be dropped: “While Nigerian journalist Luka Binniyat’s release on bail is…