Journalist Arrest

Wall Street Journal reporter's arrest threatens reporting from Russia

The arrest of a Wall Street Journal reporter on espionage charges in Russia has news organisations based outside the country weighing for the second time in a year whether the risks of reporting there during wartime are too great. The Journal and other news outlets continued to press Friday for the release of Evan Gershkovich, He was taken into custody by Russian security officials a day earlier and accused of spying, charges the newspaper vehemently denies. More than 30 press freedom groups and news organizations, including the Journal, The New York Times, BBC, The Associated Press, The New Yorker, Time and The Washington Post, signed a letter Friday to Anatoly I. Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., expressing concern about "a significant escalation in your government's anti-press actions. Russia is sending the message that journalism within your borders is criminalized and that foreign correspondents seeking to report from Russia do not enjoy the benefits of the rule of law,

I struggled, says Kerala journalist Kappan after jail over Hathras case

"I struggled," Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan said minutes after he walked out of jail on Thursday to camera crews, a small curious crowd -- and to his wife and teen son, waiting patiently, just as they had for the more than two years since he was imprisoned on his way to Hathras. The relief was writ large on their faces but so was the pain. Kappan and three others were arrested in October 2020 while they were going to the Uttar Pradesh town where a Dalit woman died allegedly after being raped. They were accused of trying to instigate violence over the death of the Hathras woman. "I am coming to Delhi. I have to stay there for six weeks," Kappan told PTI. "I struggled more," he laughed when asked how life had been in jail without saying anything more. In his two and a half years in jail, his mother died. "Her name was Kadijah. She is not there to see Kappan coming home," Kappan's wife Raihana said. "The Supreme Court granted bail in the UAPA case and his innocence was revealed

Justice delayed, but happy: Siddique Kappan's wife on grant of bail to him

The wife of Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan on Friday welcomed the bail granted to him in a money laundering case, but said it was "justice delayed". "Justice delayed, but I am happy. I am happy he has got bail. I am unhappy with the fact that it took so long," Raihanath Kappan told the media at her residence in Vengara in Malappuram district. The Allahabad High Court granted bail to Kappan in the money laundering case today. His wife said that bail order was not yet available so she did not know what the conditions were except that two persons have to be found to stand as sureties. She said that she returned from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh two day ago. Kappan, currently lodged in the Lucknow district jail, was arrested two years back while he was on his way to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, where a Dalit woman had died after allegedly being raped. He and three others were accused of having links with the Popular Front of India. In September, the Supreme Court granted him bail

SC grants bail to Kerala journo Siddique Kappan in Hathras conspiracy case

Observing that every person has a right to free expression, the Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, who is in jail for almost two years after he was arrested while proceeding to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh where a Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped and later died. "Till now you have not shown anything provocative," a bench headed by Chief Justice UU Lalit and also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and P S Narasimha told the UP government. The court also took note of the submissions of the UP government and laid down several conditions for bail, including that he will have to remain in Delhi for the next six weeks after release from a prison in Mathura and report to Nizamuddin police station in Delhi on Monday every week. Kappan's wife Reaiheanath said she is very happy to hear the news of him getting bail and thanked everyone who supported the family. "For the past two years, we have been physically, mentally and economically affected. But, n

Russia demands 24-year sentence for ex-journalist in espionage trial

The prosecution in the espionage trial of former Russian journalist Ivan Safronov has demanded a 24-year prison sentence

SC seeks UP govt's response on bail plea of journalist Siddique Kappan

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Uttar Pradesh government on the bail plea of Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested in October 2020 while on his way to Hathras where a Dalit woman had died after allegedly being gang-raped. A bench comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and S Ravindra Bhat fixed the plea for final disposal on September 9. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had earlier this month rejected the bail application of Kappan, who was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the alleged Hathras conspiracy case. The FIR had been filed under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the UAPA against four persons having alleged links with the Popular Front of India (PFI). The PFI had been accused in the past of funding protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act across the country. The police had earlier claimed that the accused was trying to disturb the law and order in Hathras.

Hathras case: Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan moves SC seeking bail

Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan, arrested in October 2020 while on his way to Hathras where a young Dalit woman had died after allegedly being gang-raped, has approached the Supreme Court seeking bail in the case. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had earlier this month rejected the bail application of Kappan, who was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the alleged Hathras conspiracy case. The plea was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana, which agreed to list it on August 26. Advocate Haris Beeran mentioned the matter before the bench, also comprising Justices Hima Kohli and C T Ravikumar, and said the high court has denied bail to Kappan. "Presently, the petitioner has spent almost two years behind bars, on the basis of trumped up charges, only because he sought to discharge his professional duty of reporting on the infamous case of the Hathras rape/ murder," the plea said. "Therefore, the present

Criminal justice machinery relentlessly employed against Zubair, says SC

Arrest is not meant to be and must not be used as a "punitive tool" but the criminal justice machinery was "relentlessly employed" against Alt News Co-founder Mohammad Zubair, the Supreme Court said

SC grants interim bail to Alt News' Zubair for five days in UP case

The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Alt News' co-founder Mohammad Zubair

Alt News co-founder Mohmmed Zubair flown to Bangalore to recover laptop

According to police, he has allegedly formatted his electronic devices and is refusing to hand them over to police despite being repeatedly asked

Hong Kong police raid office of online news outlet, arrest 6 for conspiracy

Hong Kong police were raiding the office of an online news outlet on Wednesday after arresting six people for conspiracy to publish a seditious publication. More than 200 officers were taking part in the search, police said. They had a warrant to seize relevant journalistic materials under a national security law enacted last year. The six were arrested early Wednesday under a colonial-era crimes ordinance for conspiracy to publish a seditious publication, and searches of their residences were underway, police said. According to the local South China Morning Post newspaper, police arrested one current and one former editor at Stand News, as well as four former board members including singer and activist Denise Ho and former lawmaker Margaret Ng. Police did not identify those who were arrested. Early Wednesday, Stand News posted a video on Facebook of police officers at the home of a deputy editor, Ronson Chan, to investigate the alleged crime. Chan, who is also chair of the Hong K

US journalist jailed for months in Myanmar, lands in New York on Tuesday

It's been a long time coming, a moment I had been imagining so intensely for so long," a bearded and shaggy-haired Fenster said after landing in New York. "Surpasses everything I had imagined.

4 journalists at shut Hong Kong paper Apple Daily charged with collusion

Hong Kong police charged 2 top editors and editorial writers at Apple Daily with collusion weeks after city's largest pro-democracy newspaper was forced to cease publication and its assets were frozen

Hong Kong police arrest former senior editor at now-defunct Apple Daily

Hong Kong national security police on Wednesday arrested a former editor at now-defunct Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper, weeks after paper was forced to close after authorities froze its assets

HC grants interim protection to Newsclick founder in foreign funding case

The court sought reply and granted interim protection from arrest to Newsclick director Pranjal Pandey as well on his anticipatory bail plea in the FIR.

Hong Kong's now-defunct Apple Daily editorial writer arrested at airport

An editorial writer of the now-defunct Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily was arrested at the airport on Sunday night while attempting to leave the city, local media reported

Last print edition of Apple Daily newspaper sold out across Hong Kong

Across Hong Kong, people lined up early Thursday to buy the last print edition of the last remaining pro-democracy newspaper

Hong Kong's Apple Daily to shut within days, says Jimmy Lai adviser

Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily will be forced to shut "in a matter of days" after authorities froze the company's assets under a national security law

Apple Daily crackdown 'sent shudders across media industry', says reporter

After 500 police officers raided the Apple Daily newsroom in Hong Kong last week to arrest executives and top editors, a Hong-Kong based reporter on Sunday said that the incident has "sent shudders"

Editor, CEO denied bail in Apple Daily newspaper case in Hong Kong

A Hong Kong court ordered the top editor of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and the head of its parent company held without bail Saturday in the first hearing since their arrest