Europe & Central Asia

  

Russian authorities search journalist Nailya Mullayeva’s apartment, seize equipment

Paris, May 17, 2023—Russian authorities should immediately return all equipment confiscated from journalist Nailya Mullayeva and stop efforts to intimidate and harass members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, May 16, police searched the apartment of Mullayeva, a freelance reporter, in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan republic, according…

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Kazakh journalist Viktor Sutyagin’s car destroyed in fire

Stockholm, May 12, 2023—Kazakh authorities should swiftly investigate a recent suspected arson attack on a vehicle belonging to journalist Viktor Sutyagin and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. At about 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, an unidentified individual was seen on security footage approaching Sutyagin’s car in the…

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UK police arrest journalist Rich Felgate while covering coronation protest

Berlin, May 12, 2023—British authorities should drop any criminal investigation into journalist Rich Felgate and ensure that members of the press can cover protests without fear of arrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On May 6, police arrested Felgate, a freelance journalist and documentary filmmaker, while he covered an environmental protest held during…

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Ukrainian journalist Tetyana Tsyrulnik slapped while covering Victory Day commemorations

Paris, May 12, 2023—Ukrainian authorities should swiftly investigate the recent assault of journalist Tetyana Tsyrulnik and ensure that members of the media can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Tuesday, May 9, Tsyrulnik was covering Victory Day commemorations in the central city of Poltava when a man told her not to…

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Turkish journalist Muhammed Yavaş assaulted over political coverage in run-up to election

Istanbul, May 12, 2023 – Turkish authorities in the western province of Çanakkale must investigate the recent assault of journalist Muhammed Yavaş and ensure his attacker is held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Wednesday, May 10, Yavaş, a writer and publisher of the weekly newspaper Çan’dan Haberler, published a post…

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Kyrgyz journalist Dilbar Alimova questioned over coverage of authorities

Stockholm, May 11, 2023—Kyrgyz authorities should let the independent news website PolitKlinika work free from fear of legal harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On May 6, officers with Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, or SCNS, summoned PolitKlinika founder and chief editor Dilbar Alimova for questioning about a May 5 article published…

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In Turkey, cautious optimism that tough election could be good for press freedom

Turkey’s powerful Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) are facing one of the toughest challenges of their two decades in office. Polls ahead of the country’s May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections suggest that the president and his long-ruling party could lose to the opposition coalition of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of…

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AFP journalist Arman Soldin killed while covering war in Ukraine

Paris, May 9, 2023—In response to multiple news reports that journalist Arman Soldin was killed on Tuesday, May 9, near the Ukrainian city of Chasiv Yar, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The Committee to Protect Journalists is profoundly saddened by the death of journalist Arman Soldin while covering the war in…

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Turkish courts find 4 journalists guilty on criminal charges ahead of elections

Istanbul, May 9, 2023—Turkish authorities should not contest the appeals of the four journalists recently sentenced by multiple courts because of their reporting or commentary and should ensure that the media is not threatened by judicial harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.   Since April 20, authorities have sentenced journalists Sinan Aygül, Bülent…

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French reporter Toufik-de-Planoise charged over protest coverage

Berlin, May 3, 2023—French authorities should drop all criminal charges against journalist Toufik-de-Planoise and ensure that members of the press do not face legal retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On April 26, police summoned de-Planoise, a reporter with the privately owned local outlets Média 25 and Radio Bip, to…

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