JournalismPakistan.com | Published February 14, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channelNEW YORK - The Committee to Protect Journalists has welcomed news that Ethiopian journalists Eskinder Nega and Woubshet Taye have been freed from prison after each served nearly seven years.
"We are pleased that Eskinder Nega and Woubshet Taye are finally free since their arrests and convictions were shameful miscarriages of justice," said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal in a statement. "We now urge the Ethiopian government to drop charges against other journalists and to implement the reforms needed for a free press to flourish."
Woubshet and Eskinder were both arrested in 2011 and convicted in 2012 in unrelated cases. CPJ research shows that the terror-related charges the journalists faced were fabricated in retaliation for their critical reporting.
Eskinder, a prominent columnist and editor of now-shuttered newspapers, and Woubshet, a former editor with the weekly newspaper Awramba Times, were among 746 prisoners that the Ethiopian government last week announced would be pardoned, according to news reports.
February 11, 2025: The PFUJ has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to suspend the PECA Amendment Act, arguing that the law curtails press freedom and contains contradictory provisions. The court has issued a notice to the Attorney General for assistance.
February 09, 2025: Hum News Network becomes the first Pakistani channel to embrace AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, enhancing productivity and innovation. Discover how this visionary move sets new standards in media.
February 08, 2025: As Pakistan faces an economic crisis, the government splurges taxpayers' money on full-page ads and press releases to glorify its achievements. Critics call it a wasteful PR stunt. Read how public funds are being misused for political propaganda.
February 07, 2025: PTV pensioners staged nationwide protests demanding their unpaid pensions, medical benefits, and dues for nearly 400 retirees. Protesters, supported by PFUJ, criticized PTV management for corruption and lavish expenses while neglecting retirees' rights.
February 06, 2025: PFUJ has challenged the controversial PECA Act 2025 in the Islamabad High Court, citing it as an attack on press freedom. Journalists and rights organizations protest the law’s implications for free speech and media independence in Pakistan.
February 06, 2025: Pakistani women journalists like Munizae Jahangir and Asma Shirazi face severe threats, harassment, and online abuse. This article explores the struggles of women in media, the systemic challenges, and potential solutions to ensure press freedom and journalist safety.
January 29, 2025: As the White House welcomes podcasters and digital journalists, Pakistan tightens censorship through PECA amendments, silencing independent voices and forcing journalists into exile. A stark contrast in press freedom emerges.
January 29, 2025: Pakistan’s latest PECA amendments expand government control over social media, criminalize misinformation, and threaten freedom of expression. Media stakeholders and human rights groups condemn the draconian changes. Learn more about the implications for journalists and activists.
February 14, 2025 Justice remains elusive 16 years after the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, as Sri Lanka’s Attorney General orders the release of three key suspects. Journalist organizations strongly condemn the move, calling for urgent action to end impunity for crimes against the media.
February 09, 2025 The Dart Center Ochberg Fellowship 2025 is open for applications! This prestigious program at Columbia University offers journalists an intensive seminar on trauma reporting, media ethics, and responsible journalism. Apply by March 3, 2025.
February 07, 2025 Mozambican journalist Albino Sibia was killed while filming police brutality, and reporter Pedro Junior was shot covering his funeral. Arlindo Chissale remains missing. These attacks highlight the dire state of press freedom in Mozambique amid post-election unrest.
February 05, 2025 The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the Indian government to stop targeting independent journalism after revoking the nonprofit and tax-exempt statuses of The Reporters’ Collective and The File. Learn how this impacts investigative reporting and media freedom in India.
February 04, 2025 Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has opened a criminal case for disclosure of state secrets following Ukrainska Pravda’s report on statements by military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov. CPJ urges authorities to respect press freedom and journalist protections.