Europe & Central Asia

  
Two police officers stare down a hall with grafetti-covered walls.

German police launch criminal probe of video journalist after beating him during pro-Palestinian protest

Berlin, June 7, 2024—German authorities must swiftly and transparently investigate the recent police attack on video journalist Ignacio Rosaslanda, ensure the responsible police officers are held to account, and drop all criminal investigations against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Police beat and detained Ignacio Rosaslanda, a video journalist for daily newspaper Berliner…

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A man wearing headphones talks in front of a laptop.

Moscow court orders arrest in absentia of exiled journalist, 2 others face administrative charges

Berlin, June 7, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists decries Russian authorities’ crackdown on independent media outlets and exiled journalists, and urges them to cease their harassment immediately. On Wednesday, June 5, the Basmanny district court in the capital, Moscow, ordered the arrest in absentia of exiled journalist Dmitry Kolezev, saying that he distributed false information…

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Pro-government publisher attacks journalist Vuk Cvijić over investigative report

Berlin, June 5, 2024—Serbian authorities should conduct a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation into the recent physical attack against journalist Vuk Cvijić, hold those responsible to account, and ensure the journalist’s safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Vuk Cvijić, a reporter for the weekly newspaper Radar, was walking by a cafe around 1…

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Russia extends detention of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva for 2 months

New York, May 31, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly denounced a Russian court’s Friday decision to extend the pretrial detention of U.S.-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva until August 5 and called for her immediate release. “U.S.-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva has spent more than seven months behind bars for no reason except her work, and she…

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On May 2, a Russian court initiated administrative proceedings against Galina Timchenko—head of the Meduza news site, and winner of CPJ's 2022 Gwen Ifill International Press Freedom Award—on charges of participating in the activities of an “undesirable organization. Such legal actions are the latest in a string of similar charges brought against journalists connected with the Latvia-based outlet. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images North America/ Getty Images via AFP)

Russian authorities prosecute, fine Meduza journalists

Berlin, May 30, 2024—Russian authorities must end the prosecution and harassment of journalists connected with the Latvia-based independent news site Meduza and those who share its content, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On May 2, the Cheryomushki district court in the Russian capital Moscow initiated administrative proceedings against Galina Timchenko, head of Meduza,…

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Image of three journalists spliced together.

Pegasus spyware targeted exiled journalists from Russia, Latvia, Belarus, report finds

New York, May 30, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by a Thursday report by rights group Access Now and research organization Citizen Lab alleging that Pegasus spyware was used to surveil at least five journalists. The report, “Exiled, then spied on: Civil society in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland targeted with Pegasus spyware,”…

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Journalist Viktoria Roshchina disappeared while covering Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. (Photo: Courtesy Hromadske)

Russia confirms detention of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina

New York, May 29, 2024—Russian authorities must immediately release Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina and end the practice of illegally detaining Ukrainian journalists in occupied territories, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. “CPJ strongly denounces Russian authorities’ detention of journalist Viktoria Roshchina, who went missing 300 days ago while reporting in Russian-occupied Ukraine,” said Gulnoza…

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Prominent Serbian minority newspaper repeatedly threatened in Croatia after nationalist party gains power

Berlin, May 29, 2024 — Croatian authorities should immediately and thoroughly investigate the threats against journalists of Novosti, a weekly newspaper of the Serbian national minority, and ensure their safety and ability to report, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Novosti journalists have received dozens of insulting, hateful, intimidating, and threatening messages by email,…

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Georgian parliament overrides presidential veto, adopts Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ law

Stockholm, May 28, 2024 — The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly decries the Georgian parliament’s Tuesday decision to overturn a veto by the country’s president and adopt a Russian-style “foreign agents” law that would target media outlets and press freedom groups. “The ruling Georgian Dream party’s decision to push through Kremlin-inspired ‘foreign agents’ legislation despite…

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Azda TV presenter Firuz Hayit, seen here on the channel's flagship "Imruz" (Today) show, is one of the journalists whose family members have been harassed, according to information shared with CPJ. (Screenshot: Azda TV)

CPJ calls on Tajikistan authorities to stop harassing relatives of exiled journalists

Stockholm, May 24, 2024—Tajikistan authorities must end their harassment of family members of journalists with independent Europe-based broadcaster Azda TV and allow exiled journalists to work without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Since late last year, Tajik law enforcement agencies have repeatedly summoned, interrogated, and threatened relatives of five Azda…

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