As COP29 nears, CPJ, partners urge EU to hold Azerbaijan to account over rights abuses
CPJ and 16 other international human rights organizations on Wednesday called on the European Union to press Azerbaijan to release around a dozen jailed journalists and improve its dire human rights record as the country hosts the United Nations Climate Change Conference on November 11-22, 2024. The statement highlights how, in the months leading up…
Azerbaijan to try RFE/RL’s Farid Mehralizada, 14 other journalists as it prepares to host COP29
New York, November 6, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release Farid Mehralizada, an economist and journalist with U.S. Congress-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Azerbaijani service, known locally as Radio Azadliq, who has been detained on currency smuggling charges since May. On October 30, RFE/RL issued a statement calling for…
Greek riot police assault, detain reporter Giorgos Androutsos at protest
Berlin, November 5, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the actions of riot police who threw reporter Giorgos Androutsos to the ground, beat, and dragged him, as he was covering a protest by firefighters in the capital Athens. “Greek authorities must conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the circumstances of riot police’s attack and…
Bulgarian journalists beaten, threatened on election day
New York, November 4, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Bulgarian authorities to swiftly investigate and prosecute those who attacked or threatened at least four journalists while they were reporting on Sunday’s parliamentary elections. “Harassment and threats against journalists covering Bulgaria’s elections are deeply concerning,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative. “Bulgarian authorities must…
North Macedonia journalist Blagoj Sersemov’s car damaged in arson attack
New York, November 4, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by a October 23 arson attack on journalist Blagoj Sersemov’s vehicle, which was parked at his home in Štip, around 50 miles east of the Macedonian capital Skopje, and calls on authorities to investigate and hold those responsible to account. “The deliberate destruction of North Macedonian journalist Blagoj…
Slovak journalist Kristína Kövešová physically attacked, injured on assignment
New York, November 1, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Slovak authorities to swiftly complete their investigation into Wednesday’s physical attack by unknown individuals that injured Kristína Kövešová, a broadcast journalist with private station TV Markíza, while she was on assignment in Trnava, western Slovakia. “It is a welcome development that Slovak authorities responded…
French media outlet known for reporting on far-right comes under fresh attack
New York, October 30, 2024—French authorities must complete their investigation and take steps to ensure the safety of journalists at Radio BIP and its online newspaper Média 25 following the recent attack on the outlet’s offices, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. “CPJ is alarmed by the recent attack on Radio BIP/Média 25’s headquarters, which follows a…
Belgrade mayor calls N1 TV journalists ‘manipulators,’ reports ‘fake’
New York, October 30, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Serbian authorities to condemn the recent verbal attacks against journalists from private independent TV station N1 and other outlets by Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Šapić and ensure journalists can safely carry out their work without fear of intimidation or reprisal. “We are deeply concerned by…
British police seize electronic devices in raid on journalist Asa Winstanley’s home
New York, October 29, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on British authorities to cease using counter-terrorism laws to intimidate the press after police raided the London home of journalist Asa Winstanley on October 17 on suspicion of “encouragement of terrorism.” According to Winstanley’s employer, Palestine-focused news site The Electronic Intifada, the raid was in connection with Winstanley’s social…
Turkey’s parliament expected to vote on ‘foreign agent’ law this week
Istanbul, October 29, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges members of Turkey’s parliament to vote against the foreign “influence agent law” when it comes up for a vote in the Grand National Assembly this week as expected. “Unfortunately, Turkey seems to be following the regional trend of establishing a judicial tool for demonizing and censoring independent…