Belarus authorities continue to charge and detain journalists, raid homes
Stockholm, September 9, 2021 – Belarus authorities must cease their persecution of independent journalists and outlets who have covered the protest movement against President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s contested reelection or are otherwise critical of the government, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Last week, authorities in Belarus charged Iryna Leushyna, the director of the country’s…
N1 TV crew attacked and harassed at Montenegro protest
Berlin, September 9, 2021 – Montenegro authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate the recent attack on a crew for the privately owned broadcaster N1 TV, and ensure that journalists can cover protests safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 5, a group of protesters in Cetinje, west of Podgorica, the capital, harassed…
Protesters against Slovenian COVID-19 response and vaccination storm headquarters of RTVS broadcaster
Berlin, September 9, 2021 — Slovenian authorities must thoroughly investigate demonstrators’ storming of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija (RTVS) and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Starting around 8:30 p.m. on September 3, about 20 people demonstrating against the country’s COVID-19 response and vaccination program broke into the broadcaster’s…
Demonstrators in Italy attack two journalists during COVID-19 protests
Berlin, September 8, 2021–Italian authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate recent attacks on journalists covering COVID-19 protests, hold those responsible to account, and ensure that reporters can cover events of public interest safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 28, a group of demonstrators protesting the government’s recent measures to curb COVID-19…
Belarus Supreme Court dissolves Belarusian Association of Journalists
Stockholm, August 27, 2021 – In response to today’s ruling by the Supreme Court of Belarus to dissolve the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the country’s largest independent media association, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Authorities’ shameless forced closure of the Belarusian Association of Journalists is an escalation of the country’s long-running…
‘Action should follow words’: Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family wants Maltese journalists to work without fear
Last week’s indictment of businessman Yorgen Fenech marked a critical step in the quest for accountability in the murder of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. According to news reports, Malta’s attorney general has called for a life sentence plus an additional 20 to 30 years behind bars for Fenech, the alleged mastermind of…
Russian authorities add Dozhd, IStories to ‘foreign agents’ register
Stockholm, August 25, 2021 – Russian authorities should cease labeling news outlets as “foreign agents,” and should let all independent media companies work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 20, the Justice Ministry added Dozhd, the country’s biggest independent TV channel, and IStories fonds, the Latvia-based publisher of independent investigative news…
Turkish journalist Aydın Taş found dead in Ankara
Istanbul, August 19, 2021 — Turkish authorities must swiftly and transparently investigate the death of journalist Aydın Taş, the Committee to Protect journalists said today. On August 8, police officers found Taş’ body at the Ankara office of the Crimean News Agency (QHA), a Turkish nationalist news agency where he worked as the Turkey director,…
Belarus authorities search homes of 6 current and former BelaPAN employees, 3 remain in detention
Stockholm, August 18, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately release all detained current and former employees of the BelaPAN news agency and allow the country’s independent press to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. This morning, law enforcement officers in Minsk, the capital, searched the editorial offices of the independent Belarusian news…
Mob attacks journalists covering Istanbul protest and police beat, detain two reporters
On August 1, 2021 a mob in Istanbul attacked at least six journalists covering a march against the killing of seven members of a Turkish family of Kurdish origin, while also attacking the protesters, according to news reports. The police detained at least two journalists but none of the alleged attackers, the reports said. Derya…