Committee to Protect Journalists
From Free net encyclopedia
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an independent, nonprofit organization based in New York, United States (US), that is dedicated to promoting press freedom worldwide and defending the right of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.
A group of US foreign correspondents founded CPJ in 1981 in response to the often brutal treatment of their foreign colleagues by authoritarian governments and other enemies of independent journalism.
The CPJ has a full-time staff of twenty-two at its New York headquarters, including area specialists for each major world region. CPJ also has a Washington representative and an Asia program consultant based in Bangkok, Thailand.
CPJ's board of directors includes Christiane Amanpour, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, Anthony Lewis and Cheryl Gould.
By publicly revealing abuses against the press and by acting on behalf of imprisoned and threatened journalists, CPJ warns news organizations where attacks on press freedom are occurring around the world.
CPJ organises vigorous public protests and works through diplomatic channels to effect change. CPJ publishes articles, news releases, special reports, a biannual magazine called Dangerous Assignments [1], and an annual worldwide survey of press freedom called Attacks on the Press [2].
CPJ also administers the annual International Press Freedom Awards, which honour journalists and press freedom advocates who have endured beatings, threats, intimidation, and prison in the their line of work. In 2005, CPJ gave awards to journalists from Brazil, China and Uzbekistan, and a lawyer from Zimbabwe [3].
CPJ is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), a global network of non-governmental organisations that monitor press freedom and free expression violations and campaign to defend journalists, writers, Internet users and others who are persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
According to CPJ figures, thirteen journalists and media support workers were killed by coalition troops while covering the war in Iraq.