Polish photojournalist expelled, banned from Belarus for five years
New York, August 8, 2005—A Polish photojournalist was expelled from Belarus on Saturday and banned from the country for five years. The Committee to Protect Journalists said today it is disturbed by the expulsion of Adam Tuchlinksi, 25, of the weekly news magazine Przekroj. Belarusian security agents detained Tuchlinksi as he was about to board…
Court convicts Internews staffers, rejects office closure
New York, August 5, 2005—A judge in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, convicted two staffers of Internews Network, a U.S.-based media training and advocacy organization, on Thursday of producing television programming without a license and publishing information illegally. Former Internews director Khalida Anarbayeva and accountant Olga Narmuradova will not have to serve the prescribed six-month jail…
CPJ calls on minister to reverse ABC decision
Dear Minister Lavrov: The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the Foreign Ministry’s pattern of using accreditation, visa and other regulations to control and intimidate journalists reporting on the war in Chechnya for foreign media. The Foreign Ministry escalated this campaign against foreign news media by moving this week to bar the U.S. television network ABC from reporting in Russia.
RUSSIA
AUGUST 2, 2005 Posted: August 9, 2005 ABC Andrei Babitsky, ABC HARASSED, LEGAL ACTION The Foreign Ministry announced steps to bar the U.S. television network ABC from reporting in Russia. The ministry said in a statement that ABC reporters had been denied access to government officials and that their accreditations will not be renewed when…
Kremlin moves to bar ABC from reporting in Russia
New York, August 2, 2005—The Kremlin escalated its campaign of intimidation against foreign news media covering the war in Chechnya as authorities began moving today to bar the U.S. television network ABC from reporting in Russia. The Committee to Protect Journalists denounced the decision and called for its reversal.
Prosecutor says Gongadze probe moves to new phase
New York, August 2, 2005—The Ukrainian Prosecutor-General’s Office announced last night that it has completed the first part of its investigation into the 2000 murder of Georgy Gongadze, editor of the independent news Web site Ukrainska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth). Yuri Boychenko, a spokesman for the prosecutor, said yesterday that authorities have identified the suspects who…
TAJIKISTAN
JULY 28, 2005 Posted: August 2, 2005 Jumaboy Tolibov, freelance IMPRISONED A judge in northern Tajikistan sentenced independent journalist Jumaboy Tolibov to two years in a prison colony on charges of hooliganism, illegally entering a residence, and abusing his office as a local government administrator, according to local and international reports. The defense said it…
UZBEKISTAN
JULY 18, 2005 Posted: August 2, 2005 Khalida Anarbayeva, Internews Network Olga Narmuradova, Internews Network LEGAL ACTION Former director Anarbayeva and accountant Narmuradova went on trial July 18 at the Yakkasaroy District Court in Tashkent. They faced up to six months in prison if convicted on charges of publishing information and producing videos without a…
UZBEKISTAN
JULY 18, 2005 Posted: August 2, 2005 Erkin Yakubjanov, International Media Support IMPRISONED Yakubjanov was detained for 11 days without charge. Yakubjanov was taken into custody by Uzbek border guards at the Dustlik checkpoint as he tried to cross into the Uzbek side of the Ferghana Valley. Yakubjanov was traveling to Andijan to prepare a…