Russian independent journalists fear MAX app, new online restrictions will hinder reporting
As Russian authorities tighten the screw on popular messaging app Telegram and promote a state-backed “super app” that observers say could act as a surveillance tool, independent journalists and media outlets inside and outside Russia say it will become more difficult to report stories securely and stay connected to audiences. President Vladimir Putin is pushing…
Georgia opens criminal probe into independent broadcaster Formula TV
New York, June 25, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Georgia to drop a criminal investigation into independent broadcaster Formula TV after prosecutors on June 17 announced a probe into the pro-opposition outlet on the charge of false denunciation of a crime. Eter Katamadze, a lawyer for Formula TV, told CPJ this was the…
Bulgarian investigative journalist Dimitar Stoyanov faces threat of violence
Berlin, June 24, 2026—Bulgarian authorities must thoroughly investigate reports that prominent journalist Dimitar Stoyanov is facing threats of violence linked to his reporting and act immediately to guarantee his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. The Bureau for Investigative Reporting and Data (BIRD), where Stoyanov works, told CPJ that two anonymous witnesses had…
World Refugee Day 2026: Supporting journalists in exile amid transnational repression
World Refugee Day draws attention to journalists who have been forced to flee their home countries due to threats, conflict, or repression. While exile is now recognized as a growing reality for journalists worldwide, the experiences of journalists CPJ supported last year reflect the reality that relocation does not necessarily bring safety. Increasingly, journalists in…
These 6 foreign journalists have been denied entry by Israel
When French journalist Alice Froussard landed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport a week ago, she arrived with a valid travel authorization and plans to report from the occupied West Bank, where she had worked for years. By the next morning, Israeli authorities placed her on a flight back to Paris, denying her entry. She…
CPJ calls on EU to support press freedom reform in Hungary
Brussels, June 11, 2026—Ahead of a meeting with Hungarian officials on June 16, the Committee to Protect Journalists urges European Union member states to encourage Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s new government to rebuild the national media landscape by fully aligning future reforms with EU law and recommendations. Magyar’s Tisza party won April elections, ousting Viktor…
Azerbaijani prosecutors seek up to 16 years in prison for defendants in Toplum TV case
New York, June 10, 2026 —The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Azerbaijan to drop charges against journalists and other individuals associated with leading independent news outlet Toplum TV after prosecutors on June 8 requested prison terms of up to 16 years on charges related to receipt and use of foreign funds. “The outrageous prison…
CPJ welcomes conviction of 2 men for attack on Iran International journalist in London
London, June 9, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the conviction of two Romanian men found guilty of wounding journalist Pouria Zeraati in London in 2024 in a carefully planned attack that prosecutors said was linked to the Iranian state. Zeraati, a prominent news presenter for the Persian-language broadcaster Iran International, was stabbed three times…
CPJ welcomes Polish prosecutors’ renewed commitment to Ziętara murder case
Berlin, June 9, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes that Polish prosecutors are preparing for a new trial in the 1992 disappearance and presumed murder of investigative journalist Jarosław Ziętara, after a court recently transferred the case to national prosecutors in Krakow for further evidence-gathering. Hearing dates have yet to be announced. On May 25,…
Journalist Aleksey Seregin detained in Russia’s Mari El Republic
New York, June 5, 2026—Russian authorities must immediately release journalist Aleksey Seregin and stop silencing independent voices in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Friday. On June 4, law enforcement officers in Yoshkar-Ola, the capital of Mari El Republic in western Russia, detained Seregin after beating him, confiscating his phone, and searching his…