Europe & Central Asia

Berlin, April 9, 2025—On the fourth anniversary of the assassination of veteran Greek crime reporter Giorgos Karaivaz, the Committee to Protect Journalists and six international media freedom and journalist organizations called for justice for “one of the most serious attacks on journalism in the European Union in recent years.” Karaivaz was fatally shot outside his…

Istanbul, April 2, 2025—In the weeks since the March 19 detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a potential challenger to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the next presidential race, along with other members of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), civil unrest has erupted in western Turkey. The government, controlled by Erdoğan’s Justice and…

New York, April 2, 2025— Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Anatol Sanatsenka, who was sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention on March 31 on accusations of distributing “extremist” content, said the Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday. “Belarusian authorities continue to target members of the press in a reign of terror that has plagued the country…

Istanbul, March 31, 2025—Turkish authorities should immediately release Swedish journalist Kaj Joakim Medin, who was arrested March 27 in Istanbul on accusations of “being a member of a terrorist organization” and “insulting” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Committee to Protest Journalists said Monday. “Turkey was a haven for foreign journalists covering the region just a…

Editor’s note: On April 1, President Mikheil Kavelashvili signed the broadcast law amendments into law. New York, March 31, 2025 —The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Georgian authorities to discard two bills that could severely restrict the operations of broadcasters, after a parliamentary committee on March 31 paved the way for their final adoption, which is expected…

New York, March 28, 2025—Ukrainian authorities should swiftly investigate a recent attack in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on a journalist apparently targeted because of his outlet’s online investigation that found a funeral company mishandled corpses, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. “CPJ condemns the assault on a journalist in Kryvyi Rih,…

New York, March 28, 2025—A court in Russia’s southern Altai Krai on Thursday convicted Maria Ponomarenko, a correspondent for independent news site RusNews, of using violence against prison staff and sentenced her to an additional 22 months in prison. Ponomarenko is already serving a six-year prison sentence after being convicted in February 2023 on charges…

The Committee to Protect Journalists, along with 49 other organizations, sent a letter on March 25 urging the European Commission to adopt an ambitious approach while preparing its draft proposal for the European Democracy Shield. In 2024, the European Commission announced the European Democracy Shield, an EU-led initiative designed to reinforce democracy by addressing foreign…

Istanbul, March 24, 2025—Turkish authorities should release the journalists taken into police custody during widespread protests and end hostile behavior towards the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. Protests erupted and grew in multiple cities across Turkey following the government crackdown on Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was due to be selected as…

Berlin, March 24, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists and six other international media freedom organizations expressed concern over revelations that Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) physically surveilled and wiretapped investigative journalist Victor Ilie and called for Romanian authorities to investigate the agency’s actions. On March 17, the journalist revealed that he had been under surveillance…