Europe & Central Asia

  
Restrictive laws on foreign funding are part of a sharp decline in press freedom under the Georgian Dream party, whose flags are seen here.

Georgian authorities probe press organizations under foreign funding laws

New York, October 3, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Georgian authorities to repeal restrictive new laws covering foreign donor grants as Georgian authorities open investigations into the funding of at least five independent news outlets and a leading press association. Earlier this year, the Georgian Dream party overhauled legislation governing the foreign donor funding on which many independent…

Read More ›

Russian journalist Svetlana Khustik, seen here being detained, faces up to 10 years on charges of spreading “fake” information about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia detains journalist Svetlana Khustik for ‘fake’ news about Ukraine war

New York, October 1, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Russian authorities to end the prosecution of Russian journalist Svetlana Khustik, who faces up to 10 years on charges of spreading “fake” information about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and to release her immediately. On September 30, a court in the east-central city of Krasnoyarsk placed her under arrest for two months,…

Read More ›

Serbians protest what they say is an increasing police brutality, in Novi Sad in September.

Serbia police target journalists as anti-government protests escalate

Berlin, September 25, 2025—Serbian journalists have increasingly reported being deliberately targeted by police, especially when covering police violence, as President Aleksandar Vučić’s authoritarian government toughens its stance against anti-government protests that began 10 months ago with a deadly railway station collapse. Journalists caught up in the unrest report that police not only fail to protect them from protesters but also deliberately harass, beat,…

Read More ›

8 Turkish journalists face jail for ‘insult’ and ‘false news’ over talk show comments 

Istanbul, September 23, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Turkish authorities to stop prosecuting broadcasters for commentary after five journalists were charged and three were placed under investigation, accused of either spreading false information or insulting the president in three political debate shows.  “These cases against broadcast journalists are only the most recent in…

Read More ›

Assailants pepper-sprayed and beat Spanish journalist Román Cuesta outside his home in Salamanca, Spain on August 27, 2025. They filmed the attack and later shared it on social media. (Screenshot: Canal Red/YouTube)

Spanish journalist Román Cuesta uses video of his assault to identify his assailants

Berlin, September 18, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Spanish authorities to bring those responsible for assaulting journalist Román Cuesta to justice after the veteran investigative reporter identified his suspected assailants using a video of the attack posted online. “The assault on Román Cuesta is a stark reminder of the growing threats facing journalists covering far-right networks in…

Read More ›

Montenegrin journalist Danica Nikolić, editor-in-chief of the news site Mportal, has received violent email threats for over three years. She said authorities have failed to prosecute the perpetrators. (Screenshot: TV7/YouTube)

Montenegro journalist Danica Nikolić receives new death threat

Berlin, September 18, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Montenegrin authorities to thoroughly investigate death threats against journalist Danica Nikolić, editor-in-chief of the independent news site M Portal, and to take all necessary steps to guarantee her safety. “The ongoing death threats against journalist Danica Nikolić are increasingly alarming and have gone on for far too long,”…

Read More ›

Rinat Tuhvatshin, the founder of Kloop, called the conviction of Joomart Duulatov and Aleksandr Aleksandrov “cannibalistic, senseless, and illogical.”

Kyrgyzstan sentences 2 Kloop journalists to 5 years in jail on bogus charges

New York, September 17, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns today’s sentencing of journalists Joomart Duulatov and Aleksandr Aleksandrov to five-year prison terms in Kyrgyzstan and calls for their immediate release.  Duulatov and Aleksandrov, who worked as camera operators for investigative outlet Kloop, were detained on May 28 on charges of calling for mass unrest over videos produced by…

Read More ›

Ihar Ilyash’s trial was suspended for months pending the “psycholinguistic examination” of 15 of the journalist’s unspecified reports.

Belarus uses ‘extremism’ charges to jail a journalist for 4 years, detain another

New York, September 17, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Tuesday’s sentencing of Belarusian journalist Ihar Ilyash to four years in jail and a fine of 4,200 rubles (US$1,240) on charges of promoting “extremist” activities and “discrediting” Belarus.  Separately, on September 13, the independent news website Pozirk reported that journalist Kiryl Pazniak had been detained in early September on suspicion of involvement with a…

Read More ›

Journalist Iryna Slaunikava was one of at least eight Belarusian journalists freed from prison on September 11, 2025.

Belarus frees at least 8 journalists unjustly detained for years

New York, September 11, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of at least eight Belarusian journalists, who were among 52 political prisoners freed on Thursday as the United States announced it was lifting sanctions on Belarus’ national airline. “CPJ celebrates that at least eight Belarusian journalists can finally return to their families after being freed from prison. They…

Read More ›

Hungarian journalist László Mézes receives medical treatment for a cut to his face (right) amid scenes of violent clashes in the Georgian capital Tblisi on September 8, 2025.

In Georgia, 6 journalists attacked, robbed while covering protests

New York, September 10, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Georgian authorities to swiftly investigate attacks on at least six journalists reporting on anti-government protests in the capital, Tbilisi, over the last week. Since November, dozens of journalists have been attacked, sometimes brutally, by police and masked attackers while reporting on mass protests against…

Read More ›