As Moscow intensifies its onslaught against Ukraine, the Kremlin continues to tighten its control of how the war is reported inside Russia. CPJ has documented numerous detentions, searches of media outlets, shutdowns, and deployment of repressive new laws against independent Russian journalists. On April 22, several news outletsreported that Russia’s justice ministry had added eight people to its media register of “individuals labeled as foreign agents.” The list includes former Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) chief editor Alexei Venediktov and Russian opposition politician and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is facing charges for allegedly sharing false information about the Russian army.
In Ukraine, CPJ has confirmed that at least seven journalists have died while covering the war and is investigating whether others — including two whose bodies were found after Russian forces withdrew from occupied areas — were killed because of their work. (A photo taken April 22, 2022, shows the rubble of a house destroyed in Horenka, Ukraine. Two journalists were killed in the village on March 14. Reuters/Vladyslav Musiienko)
In St. Petersburg, reports say journalist Maria Ponamarenko is detained on charges of publishing “fake” information about the Russian army on the Telegram channel “No Censorship” about casualties in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol Her lawyer says there is no evidence that she wrote the posts.
Russian NGO Roskomsvoboda says state media regulator Roskomnadzor has blocked Krygyz news website/ blogging platform Kloop for material published on Russia’s invasion.
Media outlets report on Telegram that on April 22 Russian state media regulator Roskomnadzor blocked the yt3.ggpht.com domain responsible for static content like pictures and avatars on YouTube after publication of an infographic about the losses of the Russian army
Relatives of Askana Kolb, editor of the independent Belarussian weekly Novy Chas,say that she has been charged under Article 342 Part 1 of the Criminal Code. If convicted, she could face up to four years in prison.
Meduza reports that Russian opposition politician and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza is charged with allegedly sharing false information about the Russian army
People face off with Kentucky State Troopers during a protest against the deaths of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police and George Floyd by Minneapolis police, in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. May 29, 2020. REUTERS/Bryan Woolston – RC2PYG9106R3
People face off with Kentucky State Troopers during a protest against the deaths of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police and George Floyd by Minneapolis police, in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. May 29, 2020. REUTERS/Bryan Woolston – RC2PYG9106R3
A woman takes part in a protest outside the CNB Radio headquarters in Caracas August 1, 2009. The first of 34 radio stations ordered shut by the Venezuelan government went off the air on Saturday, part of President Hugo Chavez’s drive to extend his socialist revolution to the media. The banner reads, “Where is your freedom of information?” REUTERS/Jorge Silva (VENEZUELA POLITICS CONFLICT MEDIA) – GM1E582029G01
On March 15, 2022, unidentified attackers shot and killed Linares, the co-founder and editor of news website Monitor Michoacán, at his home in Zitácuaro. Linares is the second Monitor Michoacán staff member killed in 2022. On January 31, unknown assailants shot and killed 55-year old Roberto Toledo Barrera.
In the days after Toledo’s killing, Linares received death threats over his reporting and was enrolling in the Mexican Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. The Michoacán state prosecutor’s office said it had opened an investigation under its protocols for crimes against journalists.
