Europe & Central Asia

  
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…

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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,”…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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Furkan Karabay

CPJ, partners call for release of Turkish journalist Furkan Karabay

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 17 other press freedom and human rights organizations in calling on Turkish authorities to release freelance court reporter Furkan Karabay, who has been in detention for over 100 days. Following his arrest in May, he was indicted on September 5, 2025, on three charges, including “insulting” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for which he could face six to…

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Furkan Karabay

After months of detention, Turkish reporter Furkan Karabay indicted, faces 15 years

Istanbul, September 8, 2025—Turkish authorities must drop the charges brought against journalist Furkan Karabay alleging that he “insulted” the president and “made targets of” judicial officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. Turkish authorities arrested freelance court reporter Karabay in mid-May. Karabay spent more than 100 days in pretrial detention before being indicted. A court date has yet to…

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Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala speaks during an election campaign rally ahead of the country's parliamentary elections, which will begin on October 3.

CPJ, partners urge Czech parties to commit to media freedom ahead of elections

The Committee to Protect Journalists and more than 20 partner organizations called on Czech political parties to commit to 10 priority measures to safeguard press freedom in the run-up to parliamentary elections on October 3–4. The recommendations, developed with experts and inspired by the recently adopted European Media Freedom Act, address urgent challenges, including attacks…

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Ukrainian journalist Heorhiy Levchenko is seen behind bars after his arrest in August 2023.

Russian court jails Ukrainian journalist Heorhiy Levchenko for 16 years

New York, September 4, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Russian authorities to free Ukrainian journalist Heorhiy Levchenko, who has been sentenced to 16 years in a high security penal colony for treason and extremism. “After capturing Ukrainian journalist Heorhiy Levchenko two years ago in retaliation for his brave reporting on the war from the occupied…

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