Europe & Central Asia

On April 20, 2019, video journalists Gaspard Glanz and Alexis Kraland were arrested while covering “yellow vest” anti-government protests in Paris, according to media reports.

Cumhuriyet staff hand themselves over to prison authorities Six former employees from the daily Cumhuriyet handed themselves into authorities today, after the legal paperwork for their failed appeal was entered into Turkey’s judicial system and warrants were issued for their arrest, according to their lawyer and reports.

Istanbul, April 22, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Turkish authorities to not take eight former employees from the daily Cumhuriyet into custody until the Supreme Court has heard their colleagues’ appeal. At a press conference in Istanbul today, lawyers representing the employees said they would ask authorities to delay acting on a local…

New York, April 19, 2019 – Freelance journalist Lyra McKee was fatally injured late last night during riots and a police operation in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, according to multiple news reports.

Sözcü journalists on trial At a hearing for journalists from the opposition daily Sözcü, in Istanbul, on April 18, the prosecutor asked that seven staff members be found guilty for “willingly and knowingly helping a [terrorist] organization without being in its hierarchical structure,” the news website Diken reported. The prosecutors argued that Sözcü was aiding…

New York, April 18, 2019 — Romanian authorities should conduct a swift investigation into the death threats levied against investigative journalist Emilia Șercan and ensure her safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On April 12, 2019, at least two journalists were injured while covering clashes between police and protesters in Gabrovo, a town in central Bulgaria, according to local media reports.

Berlin, April 17, 2019 — Finnish authorities should drop criminal defamation charges against investigative journalist Johanna Vehkoo on appeal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On April 13, 2019, Albanian police fired tear gas into a crowd during a demonstration in the capital, Tirana, affecting several journalists, according to news reports and video footage of the protest.

After a seven-year standoff at the Ecuadoran embassy in London, British police yesterday arrested WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange–a development press freedom advocates had long feared.