Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich sentenced to 8 years in prison
Paris, May 3, 2023—In response to multiple news reports that a Belarusian court sentenced journalist Raman Pratasevich to eight years in prison Wednesday, and also issued lengthy sentences to exiled journalists Stsypan Putsila and Yan Rudzik in their absence, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “The sentencing of journalists Raman…
More journalists detained, allegedly beaten in custody ahead of Turkish elections
Istanbul, May 2, 2023—Turkish authorities should immediately release Sedat Yılmaz, Dicle Müftüoğlu, and all other detained journalists and ensure the country’s security forces are not physically violent toward members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Saturday, April 29, police detained Yılmaz, an editor for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, and…
At least 4 journalists formally arrested, 1 more detained ahead of Turkey elections
Istanbul, April 28, 2023 — Turkish authorities should immediately release all journalists and media workers imprisoned for their work and stop interfering with the press ahead of the country’s May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Tuesday, April 25, authorities in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır detained at…
Russia orders arrest of Bellingcat journalist Christo Grozev
Paris, April 27, 2023—Russian authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalist Christo Grozev and stop seeking to arrest independent journalists in retaliation for their reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On April 21, during a closed-door hearing, a court in Moscow ordered Grozev’s arrest for allegedly crossing the Russian border illegally, according…
Producer Bohdan Bitik killed, reporter Corrado Zunino injured by sniper fire covering Ukraine war
Paris, April 27, 2023—Russian and Ukrainian authorities should swiftly investigate the recent attack that killed Ukrainian producer Bohdan Bitik and injured Italian correspondent Corrado Zunino, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Wednesday, April 26, snipers opened fire on Bitik, a Ukrainian producer with the Italian daily La…
CPJ: Shuttering of RFE/RL Kyrgyz service sends ‘chilling message’
Stockholm, April 27, 2023—In response to news reports that a court in Kyrgyzstan on Thursday ordered the closure of Radio Azattyk, the local service of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement condemning the ruling: “The shuttering of Radio Azattyk, one of Kyrgyzstan’s most popular…
Fragile Progress: The struggle for press freedom in the European Union
By Jean-Paul Marthoz and Tom Gibson The European Union is facing numerous challenges as it seeks new ways to uphold its commitment to press freedom. This special report – a follow-up to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 2015 report “Balancing Act: Press freedom at risk as EU struggles to match action with values” – examines…
Fragile Progress: Part 1
A CPJ special report on the struggle for press freedom in the EU Introduction European Union countries have traditionally been considered among the safest and freest places for journalists in the world. Yet, as the European Commission noted in November 2021, “the number of threats and attacks against them [journalists] have been on the rise in…
Fragile Progress: Part 2
Upholding the law Other governments, like those headed by Slovenia’s “pro-Trump populist”80 Prime Minister Janez Janša from 2020-2022 and Greece’s conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, also adopted illiberal practices, from media capture to public denigration of critical journalists.81 Yet the European Union can only act in those areas where its member states have authorized it…
Fragile Progress: Part 3
A CPJ special report on the struggle for press freedom in the EU Spyware and the EU In July 2021 the Pegasus Project, an investigation led by Forbidden Stories with the assistance of Amnesty International’s Security Lab,112 revealed how some EU countries, in spite of being officially committed to protect journalists’ freedom, had used surveillance…