Russia issues arrest warrant for exiled journalist Mikhail Zygar
New York, April 9, 2024—Russian authorities must drop all charges against Russian journalist and writer Mikhail Zygar and stop harassing exiled members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. “The shameful issuing of an arrest warrant for Mikhail Zygar by the Russian authorities shows both their determination to intimidate journalists in exile…
At least 4 Ukrainian journalists injured in consecutive attacks on Ukraine
New York, April 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday condemned Russia’s latest series of attacks on Ukraine that injured at least four Ukrainian journalists reporting on the war. On April 4, two early morning drone strikes hit Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine injuring Yuliya Boyko, a correspondent with the Ukrainian news website Novini.Live and a freelancer…
Kyrgyzstan releases 4 Temirov Live journalists; CPJ calls for dropping of charges against all 11
Stockholm, April 9, 2024—Kyrgyzstan authorities should withdraw charges against 11 current and former staff of anti-corruption investigative outlet Temirov Live, release the four still in detention, and allow the press to work without reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. The Pervomaisky District Court in the capital, Bishkek, on Tuesday released four former Temirov…
CPJ condemns Russian journalist Igor Kuznetsov’s 6-year prison sentence
New York, April 5, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the conviction and six-year prison sentence issued to Russian journalist Igor Kuznetsov on Friday and called on authorities to drop all charges, and release him immediately. A Moscow court convicted Kuznetsov, a reporter with the independent news website RusNews, on charges of inciting mass disturbances…
Turkish authorities attack, threaten, arrest several journalists during post-election unrest
Istanbul, April 5, 2024—Turkish authorities should allow media and journalists to do their jobs, and investigate reports of journalists being attacked by security forces and threatened online for their election reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. After Sunday’s local elections, Turkey’s highest election authority, the Supreme Election Council (YSK), rescinded the victory of a pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM)…
CPJ, others welcome Council of Europe recommendations on countering SLAPPs
The Committee to Protect Journalists, as part of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), issued a Friday statement welcoming the Council of Europe’s adoption of recommendations on countering the use of SLAPPs. Strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as SLAPPs, are civil or criminal suits typically brought by individuals, institutions, or corporations to burden…
Georgia ruling party reintroduces ‘foreign agents’ law to parliament
Stockholm, April 4, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the ruling Georgian Dream party’s Tuesday reintroduction into the Georgian parliament of a proposed “foreign agents” law previously shelved after mass protests. “Georgian authorities’ revival of a bill that would smear media outlets as foreign-controlled is deeply concerning and utterly incompatible with their claim…
Kyrgyzstan president signs Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ law
Stockholm, April 2, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists called for Kyrgyzstan to repeal a law, newly ratified on Tuesday by President Sadyr Japarov, that requires some nonprofits, including media organizations, to register as “foreign representatives.” “President Sadyr Japarov’s decision to follow Russia’s lead on ‘foreign agent’ legislation threatens to erase Kyrgyzstan’s 30-year status as a…
Turkish journalists shot at, banned from observing vote count in local elections
Istanbul, April 2, 2024—Turkish authorities must not disregard the news media’s legally protected right to observe the election process and must investigate the armed attack on a group of journalists in Diyarbakır, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Sunday’s election day, the High Board of Elections (YSK) banned reporters from observing the votes…
Russia extends detention of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva by 2 months
New York, April 1, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned a Russian court’s decision on Monday to extend the pretrial detention of U.S.-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva until June 5 and called for her immediate release. “Russian authorities have been holding journalist Alsu Kurmasheva for over five months on charges directly connected with her journalistic work. Today’s extension…