Police in St. Petersburg seize copies of opposition newspaper
New York, April 30, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the seizure on Sunday of thousands of copies of a special edition of Obyedinyonny Grazhdansky Front, the weekly newspaper of the United Civic Front (OGF), a Russian opposition group headed by the Kremlin critic and former chess champion Garry Kasparov. Confiscated by police…
In Uzbekistan, journalist’s trial resumes without notice
New York, April 30, 2007—Authorities in Uzbekistan today resumed without notice the trial of independent journalist Umida Niyazova in Serelisky District Court in the capital, Tashkent. The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces the failure to give notice to Niyazova’s counsel and family, which reflects an ongoing disregard for justice in the case. Niyazova, who reported…
Editor brutally beaten after colleague’s trial
New York, April 24, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the brutal attack on Uzeyir Jafarov, an editor and reporter for the Azeri-language daily Gündalik Azarbaycan, in the capital, Baku. Two unidentified men beat Jafarov as he was leaving the newspaper’s office Friday night, according to the journalist and international press reports. Earlier that day,…
Successor of Internews Russia suspends activity after police search
New York, April 23, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is very concerned about the effective closure of the Educated Media Foundation in Moscow last week. The foundation, the successor to Internews Russia, has been shut down since last Wednesday, when economic police searched its premises for 11 hours, seized all financial records, and shut down…
In Azerbaijan, embattled editor jailed for libel and insult
New York, April 20, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today’s imprisonment in Baku of Eynulla Fatullayev, editor of the independent Russian-language weekly Realny Azerbaijan and the Azeri-language daily Gündalik Azarbaycan. The Yasamal District Court convicted Fatullayev on charges of libeling and insulting Azerbaijanis in an Internet posting that was attributed to the editor. But…
In Kazakhstan, reporter disappears after writing critical articles
New York, April 18, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply worried about the fate of investigative reporter Oralgaisha Omarshanova who has been missing since March 30. Colleagues believe Omarshanova’s disappearance is related to her journalism for the Astana-based independent weekly Zakon i Pravosudiye (Law and Justice), whose anti-corruption department she directed, local press reports…
In Serbia, hand grenade explodes outside reporter’s home
New York, April 17, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by an attack against Dejan Anastasijevic, an investigative reporter and editor for the Belgrade weekly magazine Vreme. One of two hand grenades planted on a window sill outside the journalist’s bedroom exploded at 2:50 a.m. Friday, Anastasijevic told CPJ. “We commend the authorities’ efforts…
Russian journalist found dead hours after broadcast on prior attack
New York, April 13, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Russian authorities to fully investigate the death of Vyacheslav Ifanov, a cameraman for the independent Novoye Televideniye Aleiska (NTA), in the Siberian city of Aleisk. Prosecutors have classified Ifanov’s death as suicide by gas poisoning, but relatives and colleagues suspect foul play.