Europe & Central Asia

2019

  
Case
The damaged building of Ukrainian broadcaster 112 Ukraine is seen in Kiev on July 13, 2019. The broadcaster, along with NewsOne, have faced threats and attacks in the run-up to Ukraine's parliamentary elections. (AP/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Pro-Russia broadcasters attacked, threatened with violence in Ukraine

On July 13, 2019, at approximately 3:40 a.m., an unknown attacker fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the Kiev office of TV news broadcaster 112 Ukraine, damaging the building but causing no injuries, according to media reports.

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Features & Analysis
Journalists photograph the Netherlands soccer team as it trains in Brazil in June 2014. A survey by the Dutch Association of Journalists found female journalists are harassed and threatened over their work. (AFP/Damien Meyer)

‘It should not be accepted as normal’: Female journalists on harassment, intimidation in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is generally considered to have a positive press freedom reputation, but when the independent Dutch Association of Journalists released the findings of its survey of over 350 female journalists in May, over half said they had been subjected to intimidation or violence in their work and around 70 percent said these threats were…

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Case
A newsstand is seen in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 19, 2018. A pro-government think tank recently released a report describing some foreign media outlets in Turkey and their correspondents as

Report by Turkish pro-government think tank criticizes foreign outlets, journalists

On July 5, 2019, Turkey’s Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research, an Ankara-based think tank, released a report that described some foreign media outlets operating in Turkey and their correspondents as “anti-government” and “pro-terrorism.”

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Letters

UK should not deny media access based on propaganda label

CPJ writes to U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to express concern at his government’s decision to deny accreditation to Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik based on a determination that the outlets are a form of propaganda. The move empowers autocratic governments around the world who use a similar rationale to justify the repression of critical journalism.

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Alerts
The Athens Voice offices are seen after being ransacked on July 4, 2019. Greek anarchist group Rouvikonas has claimed credit for the attack. (Image via Athens Voice)

Anarchist group ransacks office of Greek newspaper

Berlin, July 9, 2019 — Greek authorities must quickly and thoroughly investigate the ransacking of the offices of Greek weekly newspaper Athens Voice and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Features & Analysis
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks to the media outside a polling station near Tirana on June 30. A press freedom mission raised several issues with Rama last month, including unresolved attacks on journalists and draconian laws. (Reuters/Florion Goga)

Albania’s journalists tread fine line when covering organized crime, politics

The intersection of organized crime, corruption and politics in Albania is impacting the country’s press. During a joint mission by a coalition of press freedom organizations to Tirana in June, CPJ Europe Correspondent Attila Mong spoke with journalists about challenges including threats, attacks, political interference, and legal harassment.

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Features & Analysis
Kyrgyz journalist and rights advocate Azimjon Askarov is seen on January 24, 2017. CPJ recently signed on to a letter to Frederica Mogherini, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, urging for his release. (AP/Vladimir Voronin)

CPJ joins letter to EU’s Mogherini urging release of Kyrgyz journalist Askarov

CPJ joined seven other human rights and freedom of expression groups in writing a letter, made public today, calling on the government of Kyrgyzstan to release journalist and rights advocate Azimjon Askarov.

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Alerts
RFE/RL journalist Barotali Nazarov recently had his press accreditation temporarily revoked in Tajikistan. (Photo: RFE/RL, used with permission)

Tajik authorities revoke press accreditation of RFE/RL reporter Barotali Nazarov

Washington, D.C., July 1, 2019 — Tajikistan authorities should immediately reinstate video journalist Barotali Nazarov’s press accreditation and cease using accreditations as a means of censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Features & Analysis
People are seen holding photos of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Valletta, Malta, on April 16, 2018. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recently passed a resolution requiring the Maltese government to launch an independent public inquiry into her killing. (AFP/Matthew Mirabelli)

CPJ welcomes resolution demanding investigation into Daphne Caruana Galizia killing

CPJ joined other press freedom and freedom of expression organizations today in welcoming a resolution condemning the lack of progress in determining responsibility for the October 16, 2017, car bomb killing of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

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Features & Analysis
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks during a parliamentary group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara on June 25, 2019. Two journalists are to stand trial, in separate cases, on charges of insulting the president. (AFP/Adem Altan)

Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of June 23, 2019

‘Insult’ trial for Free Journalists Initiative spokesperson Hakkı Boltan, a spokesperson for the Free Journalists Initiative (ÖGİ), is due to stand trial in Diyarbakır on charges of “insulting the president” and “insulting a public servant because of their duty,” the news website Gazete Karınca reported. The charges are related to Boltan’s public statements about President…

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2019