ANNUAL REPORT 2015 COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 1 Annual REPORT 2015 DEAR CPJ SUPPORTER, threat. By mid-year 2015, imprisoned there. In October, after 18 journalists were behind bars an international campaign, members The January 7 attack on the office in Egypt. of Ethiopia’s Zone 9 blogging of Charlie Hebdo left 12 dead This terror dynamic—in which collective were cleared of trumped- and served as a chilling reminder journalists are caught between the up terrorism charges. that in the global struggle for free violence of militant and criminal We challenged other countries expression, there is no safe haven. groups and the repressive policies that, while not the worst abusers, Days after the attack, millions came of governments—presents a unique were failing to live up to their own together in Paris to express their challenge for press freedom. CPJ standards. In Nairobi, we took the horror and defend their rights. has responded by deepening its Kenyan government to task for At the front of the march, political research, expanding its assistance weakening media protections. In leaders from around the world and security support, and Brussels, we called on the European marched shoulder to shoulder. confronting governments at Union to strengthen press freedom But free expression wasn’t what every turn. protections within its borders in united them. Instead, many leaders CPJ’s research is systematic and order to exercise greater influence exploited the Charlie Hebdo tragedy sustained, and our database of outside them. In Washington, to give their domestic anti-terror journalists killed since 1992 is the we urged the White House to policies a patina of international world’s most comprehensive. Our protect online security in order to ©LUCILE CLERC legitimacy. data helps drive global responses, ensure the integrity of journalistic Turkey, represented in the march by including U.N. action to protect communication. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, journalists in conflict zones, We took these actions because was perhaps guilty of the greatest changes to U.S. hostage policy, we believe, like you, that in the hypocrisy. The government there and industry efforts to improve information age, those who provide consistently uses its vague anti- training and standards. the news we depend on must terror law to suppress critical In 2015, CPJ updated its security be protected from violence and speech, jailing dozens of journalists guide to address ever-evolving persecution. The killings in Paris and prosecuting many more. threats to digital security. We were a reminder that our struggle is Russian Foreign Minister Sergey provided direct support to journalists long and hard. With your support, Lavrov was also in Paris. Back escaping violence and persecution, we will continue to fight for the home, Russian authorities were including dozens fleeing Syria. rights of journalists and against laws, ©SIGNE WILKINSON ©DAILY NEWS, L.P. (NEW YORK). USED WITH PERMISSION. rooting out “extremists,” purging practices, and policies that restrict Through reports, briefings, and their work. the Internet of critical commentary, direct engagement, we confronted The year 2015 began with the murder of eight journalists at the French satirical magazine and using legal and economic the worst offenders. We carried Sincerely, Charlie Hebdo. Cartoonists have an ability to get under the skin of militants and politicians pressure to force the few remaining out a mission to Egypt, calling alike, with satire that transcends borders and languages. That makes them vulnerable; independent media organizations out government efforts to exploit around the world, they have been forced into hiding, imprisoned, and killed, as CPJ out of business. the threat of terrorism to justify documented in the special report, “Drawing the Line: Cartoonists under threat.” But in Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry repression. We helped put press the wake of a brutal attack that was intended to enforce silence, it was also cartoonists marched for Egypt, which has freedom on the agenda when U.S. who responded most eloquently. sought to cast its brutal crackdown President Barack Obama visited Joel Simon on civil society, including the media, Ethiopia in July—a strategy that led to Executive Director as a legitimate response to the terror the release of at least 10 journalists 2015: CONFRONTING THREATS COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 3 CPJ PROMOTES PRESS FREEDOM WORLDWIDE AND DEFENDS THE RIGHT OF JOURNALISTS TO REPORT THE NEWS WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL. CPJ ENSURES THE FREE FLOW OF NEWS AND COMMENTARY BY TAKING ACTION WHEREVER JOURNALISTS ARE ATTACKED, IMPRISONED, KILLED, KIDNAPPED, THREATENED, CENSORED, OR HARASSED. AZERBAIJAN CPJ’S PRESS UNCUFFED CAMPAIGN URGED THE RELEASE OF KHADIJA ISMAYILOVA, AN BANGLADESH INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST PUNISHED FOR NILOY NEEL WAS THE FOURTH EXPOSING CORRUPTION. (P. 19) BANGLADESHI BLOGGER KILLED IN SIX UNITED STATES MONTHS. CPJ PUSHED GOVERNMENTS TO CONFRONT THE KILLING OF JOURNALISTS CPJ URGED WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS TO AS A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY. (P. 7) BACK DOWN ON A PROPOSAL TO COMPEL BACKDOORS TO ENCRYPTION. (P. 9) MYANMAR IN MYANMAR, A FRAGILE INDEPENDENT EUROPEAN UNION PRESS IS AGAIN UNDER ATTACK. CPJ TRAVELED THERE TWICE TO MEET WITH IN SEPTEMBER, CPJ LAUNCHED A REPORT JOURNALISTS AHEAD OF HISTORIC ON THE EU’S STRUGGLES TO MEET ITS PRESS SYRIA ELECTIONS. (P. 13) FREEDOM IDEALS WITH THE ACTIONS OF ITS CPJ AND OTHER GROUPS LAUNCHED MEMBER STATES. THE SYRIA MEDIA SAFETY RESOURCE TO HELP JOURNALISTS THERE NAVIGATE THREATS AND FIND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. (P. 11) COLOMBIA TUNISIA THIRTEEN YEARS AFTER THE MURDER OF CPJ URGED TUNISIAN OFFICIALS TO ORLANDO SIERRA HERNÁNDEZ, HIS UPHOLD HARD-WON PRESS FREEDOM KILLERS WERE CONVICTED. PRESIDENT REFORMS, AT RISK AMID A HEAVY-HANDED JUAN MANUEL SANTOS PLEDGED RESPONSE TO TERRORISM. (P. 17) IMPROVEMENTS. (P. 21) ETHIOPIA AFTER AN INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO MALAYSIA RELEASE THE BLOGGERS OF THE ZONE 9 A SPECIAL CPJ REPORT CALLED ATTENTION COLLECTIVE, ITS MEMBERS WERE TO RISKS FACED BY ZULKIFLEE ANWAR CLEARED OF TRUMPED-UP TERRORISM ULHAQUE (“ZUNAR”) AND OTHER CHARGES THIS YEAR. (P. 23) CARTOONISTS. BURUNDI AT LEAST 100 JOURNALISTS FLED BURUNDI WHEN THE MEDIA WERE TARGETED. CPJ IS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 TaBLE OF CONTENTS WORKING TO ESTABLISH NETWORKS OF SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR SAFE RETURN. (P. 5) JOURNALIST ASSISTANCE 5 CAMPAIGN AGAINST IMPUNITY 7 KENYA TECHNOLOGY 9 IN NAIROBI, CPJ LAUNCHED A SPECIAL REPORT ON KENYA’S BROKEN PROMISES, JOURNALIST SECURITY 11 WARNING OF AN ERODING COMMITMENT ASIA: MYANMAR 13 TO PRESS FREEDOM. (P. 15) AFRICA: KENYA 15 MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA: TUNISIA 17 EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA: AZERBAIJAN 19 AMERICAS: COLOMBIA 21 INTERNATIONAL PRESS FREEDOM AWARDS 23 SUPPORTERS 25 FINANCIAL REPORT 27 CPJ HAS ITS HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK AND CONTRIBUTORS IN: CPJ BOARD AND STAFF 28 WASHINGTON, SAN FRANCISCO, SÃO PAULO, BOGOTA, MEXICO CITY, BEIRUT, ISTANBUL, ABUJA, BANGKOK, LONDON, BRUSSELS JOURNALIST ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 5 FIRST RESPONDER FOR JOURNALISTS IN CRISIS CPJ’s Journalist Assistance program Ultimately, our objective is to provides direct aid to journalists ensure that journalists can live and whose needs cannot be addressed by work safely in their home countries, advocacy alone. Since 2001, CPJ has and our direct assistance is coupled offered direct assistance to more than with advocacy to achieve that goal. 1,000 journalists from 54 countries. In Burundi, President Pierre In Syria alone, CPJ has provided Nkurunziza’s unconstitutional emergency aid to more than 100 bid for a third term this spring journalists forced into exile since the brought protesters to the street current conflict began. and an attempted coup. In the subsequent crackdown, journalists “As a result of our work, our homes were attacked and threatened, and were burned and our families were news outlets shut down and even threatened. Every time we would move burned to the ground. At least 100 to a place, we would be in danger,” said journalists fled the country over Awad Alali, a 27-year-old reporter who a four-month period, mostly to relocated to Europe with CPJ’s help in neighboring Rwanda. late 2014. CPJ met with Burundian journalists CPJ acts as a first responder in crisis in exile in Kigali to help develop a situations. Just as importantly, we network of support. We provided work to develop networks that help grants through local partners with longer-term needs. This year, to support their needs. CPJ also CPJ, in partnership with other media continues to press Burundian groups, set up the Syria Media Safety authorities to reopen news outlets Resource as a one-stop shop for and allow journalists to return to a information to help local journalists safe working environment. work more safely, and to streamline their access to emergency assistance. A Burundian riot police officer sprays tear gas on opposition protesters in Bujumbura on April 27, 2015. We also traveled to Nairobi and Authorities reacted to protests and an attempted coup by cracking down on the media, forcing more than 100 Kampala in April to assess the most journalists to flee Burundi. urgent needs of a wave of displaced PHOTOGRAPH BY ELOGE WIlly KANEZA / AP PHOTO East African journalists—many of Bottom left and bottom center: them fleeing a renewed crackdown in Demonstrators in Bujumbura. Ethiopia—and to work with partner Bottom right: Journalists gather on World Press Freedom Day organizations to identify resources for in Bujumbura to protest government actions long-term support. against the press. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEROME DElay / AP PHOTO IMPUNITY COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 7 PUSHING Democracies to Prosecute KILLINGS “AUTHORITIES SEEM MORE OF JOURNALISTS CONCERNED WITH WHAT BLOGGERS ARE WRITING THAN GOING AFTER THEIR KILLERS.” In August, Niloy Neel became the fourth of democracy. CPJ joined the new Bangladeshi blogger in six months to be Working Group on Freedom of hacked to death after criticizing religious Expression of the Community of extremism.