Europe & Central Asia

  
Former staffers of the Turkish daily newspaper Cumhuriyet--cartoonist Musa Kart (C), columnist Guray Oz (L), board member Onder Celik (L2), layers Mustafa Kemal Gungor (R2), and columnist Hakan Kara (R)--speak with journalists after their release near from Kandira prison, in Kandira, Turkey, on September 12, 2019. A joint mission to Turkey found that the press freedom situation remains highly restrictive, despite some room for very cautious optimism. (Stringer/Cumhuriyet Daily Newspaper/AFP)

Press freedom situation in Turkey remains highly restrictive, despite some room for very cautious optimism, joint mission finds

This week, the Committee to Protect Journalists joined an international press freedom mission to Turkey that met with journalists, civil society, diplomats, the judiciary, and government officials. The visiting delegation voiced concern about the continued crackdown on journalists in the country and the need for the authorities to protect a free press, address inconsistencies and…

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The headquarters of the Cumhuriyet newspaper is seen in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 16, 2017. Five imprisoned staffers of the paper were released following an appeals court decision today. (Reuters/Murad Sezer)

Five staffers of Turkey’s Cumhuriyet newspaper released from jail

Istanbul, September 12, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed a decision by the Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals to overturn a verdict by a lower court and release five former staffers of the Cumhuriyet newspaper who have been imprisoned since April.

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A Turkish court is seen in Istanbul on July 6, 2018. Turkey's courts recently opened their new judicial year with fines and stiff penalties for journalists. (AP/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkish courts open new judicial year with fines, jail sentences for journalists

Turkish courts opened their new judicial year on September 2, 2019, with delayed sentences of jailtime, fines, and mandatory library time for journalists, according to news reports.

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Italian police are seen in Ostia on November 10, 2017. Journalist Claudio Lattanzio’s car was recently destroyed in an arson attack in Sulmona. (AFP/Filippo Monteforte)

Italian photojournalist Claudio Lattanzio’s car destroyed in arson attack

On August 15, 2019, in Sulmona, central Italy, unidentified individuals burned the car of Claudio Lattanzio, a photojournalist for local daily Il Centro and collaborator with Italian news agency Ansa, according to a report by the daily.

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President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon speaks during the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, on September 19, 2017. The independent Tajik news agency Asia Plus has been offline since August 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Independent Tajik news agency Asia Plus kicked offline

Washington, D.C., September 10, 2019–Websites and email addresses belonging to embattled independent news agency Asia Plus in Tajikistan have been down since August 19, according to the agency and Radio Ozodi, the Tajik-language service of the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

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10 Most Censored Countries

Repressive governments use sophisticated digital censorship and surveillance alongside more traditional methods to silence independent media. A special report by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Published September 10, 2019 Eritrea is the world’s most censored country, according to a list compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The list is based on CPJ’s research into the…

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Investigative journalist Jovo Martinović is appealing an 18-month prison sentence in Montenegro. (Family handout)

Montenegro authorities should not contest journalist Jovo Martinović’s appeal

Berlin, September 9, 2019 — A court in the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, on September 12 will begin hearing investigative reporter Jovo Martinović’s appeal of his January conviction on charges of drug trafficking and criminal association, for which he was sentenced for 18 months in prison, according to a statement by a group of press freedom…

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A police car is seen in Chernihiv, Ukraine, on October 9, 2018. Blogger Igor Stakh was recently assaulted in Chernihiv. (AFP/Genya Savilov)

Blogger Igor Stakh beaten in Ukraine

Washington, D.C., August 30, 2019 — Ukrainian authorities must immediately investigate the recent attack on blogger Igor Stakh, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Kirill Vyshinsky, director of the Ukrainian office of the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, talks to the media after a court ordered his release on bail, in Kyiv, Ukraine August 28, 2019. (Reuters/Serhii Nuzhnenko)

Ukraine authorities should drop charges against Russian journalist Kirill Vyshynsky

Washington, D.C., August 28, 2019 — A Kyiv court today ruled to release Russian journalist Kirill Vyshynsky on bail while he awaits trial, according to news reports. Vyshynsky, the Kyiv bureau chief for Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, had been detained since May 2018 on treason charges, according to those reports.

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Journalist Ikram Rahimov is set to appear before a judge for an appeal hearing on August 28. (Image via Elchin Sadygov)

Jailed Azerbaijani journalist Ikram Rahimov to appeal sentence

Washington, D.C., August 27, 2019 — Azerbaijani authorities should immediately release journalist Ikram Rahimov and stop retaliating against reporters for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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