Europe & Central Asia
2015
Azerbaijan must immediately release Khadija Ismayilova
New York, February 6, 2015–The Baku Appeals Court today upheld a lower court’s decision to extend the pretrial detention of investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova to March 24, according to regional press reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for Ismayilova’s immediate release.
UK police used anti-terror legislation to uncover journalists’ sources
San Francisco, February 4, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about reports that police agencies in the United Kingdom made more than 600 applications under anti-terror legislation to uncover journalists’ confidential sources in the past three years. Today’s revelation in the Guardian, citing the interception of communications commissioner, Anthony May, comes amid criticism…
Turkish prosecutor indicts Dutch freelancer Fréderike Geerdink
Istanbul, February 3, 2015–A Turkish prosecutor has indicted Dutch freelance journalist Fréderike Geerdink for “making propaganda” for the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Union of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), according to news reports. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison, news reports said.
Hope for justice still frail in Hrant Dink’s 2007 murder case
The murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, founder and managing editor of the weekly Agos newspaper, is still under investigation in Turkey. But despite arrests last month in the eight-year-old case, Dink’s family and colleagues are worried justice will still not be served.
News from the Committee to Protect Journalists, January 2015
Putting Charlie Hebdo in context When masked gunmen raided the office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on January 7, killing 12 people including eight journalists, the media turned to the Committee to Protect Journalists to put the attack in context and comment on the repercussions for press freedom worldwide. CPJ’s experts and directors gave…
Azerbaijan continues press crackdown with jail term and arrest extension
New York, January 29, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Azerbaijani authorities to end their crackdown on the press after a five-year sentence was handed to reporter Seymur Hazi, according to news reports. The pre-trial detention of investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova was also extended this week, news reports said.
After Charlie Hebdo attack, vigils, protests and publishing bans
Protests against the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo were held in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Middle East and parts of Africa over the weekend, as crowds demonstrated against the magazine’s portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad, according to news reports.
Independent Crimean broadcaster raided by Russian security agents
ATR Director Elzara Islyamova describes the raid on ATR before agents cut her short. (YouTube) New York, January 26, 2015–Authorities in Crimea should stop targeting the independent regional broadcaster ATR immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today after the broadcaster was raided and its equipment seized.