CPJ welcomes European Union’s anti-SLAPP initiative
Brussels, April 27, 2022 – The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday welcomed the European Commission’s move to pass an initiative seeking to address the abuse of SLAPP lawsuits in Europe. SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation) are abusive lawsuits filed by powerful officials, businesspeople, or corporations against individuals, including critical journalists or news outlets,…
Council of Europe publishes annual report on press freedom
On April 27, 2022, the Council of Europe Platform for the Protection of Journalism and the Safety of Journalists, a body comprising 15 international media and free expression groups including the Committee to Protect Journalists, published its annual report on the status of press freedom in Europe. The report, “Defending Press Freedom in Times of…
Serbian broadcaster N1TV and newspaper Danas receive death threats
Berlin, April 25, 2022 – Serbian authorities should conduct swift and thorough investigations into death threats made to employees of the broadcaster N1TV and newspaper Danas, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On April 18, the independent broadcaster N1TV received an anonymous email threatening that the outlet’s employees…
CPJ joins call for Greek authorities to investigate surveillance of journalist Thanasis Koukakis
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined six other international press freedom organizations in an open letter on April 22, 2022, calling on Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and other government officials to conduct a full and transparent investigation into the surveillance of journalist Thanasis Koukakis. From July to September 2021, Koukakis, a financial editor for…
Kyrgyzstan authorities file new charges against journalist Bolot Temirov
New York, April 21, 2022 – Kyrgyzstan authorities should drop all the charges against journalist Bolot Temirov and allow him to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Tuesday, April 19, police investigators in Bishkek, the capital, summoned Temirov and charged him with allegedly forging documents and illegally crossing the country’s border,…
Belarusian journalist Aksana Kolb arrested, no charges disclosed
Paris, April 20, 2022 – Belarusian authorities should release journalist Aksana Kolb immediately and drop any charges against her, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Wednesday, April 20, law enforcement officers arrested Kolb, editor of the independent weekly Novy Chas, in Minsk, the capital, and ordered her to be held for up to…
Turkish journalist İbrahim Haskoloğlu arrested over coverage of alleged hacking
Istanbul, April 20, 2022 – Turkish authorities should release journalist İbrahim Haskoloğlu immediately and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On the night of Monday, April 18, police in Istanbul arrested Haskoloğlu, a freelance journalist, for allegedly “illegally obtaining and spreading personal information,” according to multiple news reports. Authorities…
CPJ joins call for Romanian authorities to investigate harassment of journalist Emilia Șercan
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine international press freedom organizations in an open letter on April 14, 2022, calling on Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă and other government officials to conduct a swift and independent investigation into the harassment of investigative journalist Emilia Șercan. Since January, Șercan has received threatening emails and social media…
Siberian news outlets, management charged with disseminating ‘fakes’ about Russian army
Paris, April 14, 2022 — Russian authorities should immediately drop all charges against the management of Listok newspaper and Novy Fokus magazine’s chief editor Mikhail Afanasyev, and allow the press to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Wednesday, April 13, law enforcement in Gorno-Altaysk, the capital of Altai republic in southern…
After Russian withdrawal, Ukrainian journalists found killed in Bucha and Yahidne
Paris, April 13, 2022 — Ukrainian authorities should thoroughly investigate the deaths of journalists Roman Nezhyborets and Zoreslav Zamoysky, determine if they were targeted for their work, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Nezhyborets’ body was recently found buried in the northern Ukrainian village of Yahidne, and Zamoysky’s…