Europe & Central Asia

  
A woman poses with a Ukrainian and a Russian passport in the Crimean city of Simferopol on April 7, 2014. Ukrainian journalist Taras Ibragimov was recently barred from entering Crimea and was banned from entering Russia for 34 years. (Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)

Ukrainian journalist Taras Ibragimov banned from entering Russia for 34 years

Vilnius, Lithuania, January 30, 2020 — Russian authorities should immediately lift the ban imposed on journalist Taras Ibragimov and allow him to freely report in Crimea, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a televised interview in Istanbul on January 5, 2020. The Turkish government recently cancelled hundreds of journalists' press passes. (Presidential Press Service via AP)

Turkish authorities cancel press passes for hundreds of journalists

Istanbul, January 24, 2020 — Turkish authorities should restore the recently cancelled press cards of hundreds of reporters, and establish a transparent and impartial process for obtaining press passes, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

Journalist Thomas Jacobi is seen after being attacked while covering a protest in Athens, Greece, on January 19, 2020. (AFP/Louisa Gouliamaki)

Far-right demonstrators assault reporter Thomas Jacobi in Greece

Berlin, January 21, 2020 – Greek authorities should quickly and thoroughly investigate an attack on reporter Thomas Jacobi by protesters in Athens and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

Members of the media prepare a broadcast report outside Sandringham Estate, the private residence of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, in eastern England, on January 13, 2020. A plan by Duke and Duchess of Sussex to change the rules of media engagement raised issues of access and what constitutes “credible media” in the United Kingdom this week. (AFP/Ben Stansall)

In the UK, ‘Megxit’ and Downing Street briefing change put focus on press access

Journalists and press associations in the United Kingdom this week debated issues of access and what constitutes “credible media,” as royal correspondents scrutinized the fall out from “Megxit”—the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s plan to step back from royal duties and the pool system of news coverage—and the Society of Editors raised concerns with Prime…

Read More ›

Montenegro police officers are seen Podgorica, the capital, on May 9, 2019. Police recently arrested two journalists for alleged criminal incitement. (AFP/Savo Prelevic)

Montenegro reporters Živković and Raičević charged with criminal incitement

Berlin, January 13, 2020 — Montenegrin authorities should immediately drop charges against Dražen Živković and Gojko Raičević and cease pursuing criminal cases against journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

Kyrgyz police officers are seen in Bishkek on August 30, 2016. Kyrgyz journalist Bolot Temirov was assaulted today in Bishkek. (AP/Vladimir Voronin)

Investigative journalist Bolot Temirov assaulted in Kyrgyzstan

New York, January 9, 2020 — Kyrgyzstan authorities should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the assault of journalist Bolot Temirov and ensure that reporters can cover corruption allegations without fearing for their safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

Journalists and law enforcement are seen in Podgorica, Montenegro, on May 9, 2019. Montenegro authorities recently arrested journalist Anđela Đikanović and charged her with incitement. (AFP/Savo Prelevic)

Montenegro journalist Anđela Đikanović charged with incitement over retracted report

Berlin, January 6, 2020 — Montenegrin authorities should immediately release journalist Anđela Đikanović and drop all charges against her, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

A man films as police detain a protester during a demonstration in Istanbul against the replacement of Kurdish mayors with state officials in three cities, on August 20. CPJ spoke with six journalists about the challenges of reporting and covering news in Turkey. (AFP/Yasin Akgul)

In Turkey, reporting is a daily struggle

Turkey is notorious as a leading jailer of journalists worldwide, a fact that can overshadow the other problems for its press. Alongside the risk of arrest, journalists must contend with daily interference. From police denying reporters access to courtrooms, arbitrarily moving them on or forcing them to leave certain areas when they are reporting on…

Read More ›

Road Town, in the British Virgin Islands, is seen on April 3, 2009. The territory's legislature recently passed a bill that imposes harsh penalties for online defamation. (AP/Todd VanSickle)

British Virgin Islands law to impose fines, jail terms for online defamation

Miami, December 23, 2019 — British Virgin Islands Governor Augustus Jaspert should reject cybercrime legislation recently approved by the territory’s legislature, or require revisions to the bill to protect press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

Police officers are seen in Koi-Tash, Kyrgyzstan, on August 8, 2019. CPJ recently joined a letter urging the Kyrgyz government to stop harassing journalists. (AP/Vladimir Voronin)

CPJ joins call for Kyrgyzstan to ensure safety of journalists covering corruption

CPJ and four other international organizations today sent a letter to Kyrgyzstan authorities demanding they stop harassing local journalists who have covered alleged official corruption, and urging authorities to investigate threats and attacks against journalists.

Read More ›