The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined seven other press freedom organizations in calling on the Russian authorities to end their harassment of journalists covering opposition protests in Moscow. Protests have taken place on four consecutive Saturdays in July and August after the local electoral commission’s decision to ban several opposition politicians from participating in Moscow city council elections slated for September 8, 2019. Along with detentions of protesters and opposition figures, journalists have been targeted while reporting on the demonstrations, as CPJ reported. Protests are planned for upcoming weekends before the election, including on August 24 and 25, The New York Times reported.
The full statement can be found here, with coalition signatories listed below:
Index on Censorship
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
International Press Institute (IPI)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Russian Journalists’ and Media Workers’ Union (JMWU)