Europe & Central Asia

  

Political reporter Altan Sancar threatened at gunpoint in Turkey

Istanbul, March 24, 2022 – Turkish authorities should thoroughly investigate a recent threat against journalist Altan Sancar, determine whether it was related to his work, and ensure the journalist’s safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Wednesday around 12:30 a.m., Sancar, a reporter for independent news website Diken and independent online radio Özgürüz…

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Russian journalist Oksana Baulina killed amid Russian attack on Kyiv

Paris, March 23, 2022 — In response to the death of Russian journalist Oksana Baulina amid Russian forces’ attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for the safety of journalists and all civilians to be respected during the conflict: “We are profoundly saddened by the death of…

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Russian journalist Denis Kamalyagin fled the country in 2022. (Photo credit withheld)

Russian newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya searched; journalists flee amid home raids

Paris, March 23, 2022 — Russian authorities should stop harassing independent journalists and let all members of the press work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On March 5, officers with the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Center for Combating Extremism and the OMON special riot police raided the office of Pskovskaya Guberniya, an…

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Russian journalist Andrey Novashov detained, charged with spreading ‘fake’ information

Berlin, March 22, 2022 — Russian authorities should immediately release journalist Andrey Novashov, drop all charges against him, and refrain from threatening journalists with prison over their work and commentary, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Monday, March 21, authorities in the Siberian region of Kemerovo detained Novashov, a reporter with the U.S. Congress-funded…

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Ukrainian journalist Maks Levin missing since March 13

Paris, March 22, 2022 – Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Ukrainian journalist Maks Levin should come forward at once, and Russian and Ukrainian security forces should ensure that journalists can cover the conflict safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On March 13, Levin, a freelance photojournalist and documentary filmmaker who has…

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Journalist Viktoria Roshchina disappeared while covering Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. (Photo: Courtesy Hromadske)

Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina released after 10 days; at least 4 other journalists briefly detained

Paris, March 22, 2022 – Russian forces in Ukraine must immediately cease detaining journalists and should ensure that members of the press can cover the war in Ukraine freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On Tuesday, March 22, the independent Ukrainian television station Hromadske announced that Viktoria Roshchina, a reporter with the station…

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Russian government expands law banning ‘fakes’

New York, March 22, 2022 – In response to the newly proposed legislation penalizing the distribution of “fakes” concerning the Russian government’s activities abroad, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Russian legislators and President Vladimir Putin should drop new amendments banning so-called ‘fakes’ and allow free reporting about the war in Ukraine,”…

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Opinion: Putin tolerated some critical voices in his 22-year assault on Russian media. His war in Ukraine ends even that.

On the morning after Boris Yeltsin stunned the world by resigning and turning over the Russian presidency to Vladimir Putin, The New York Times published a “man in the news” column that struggled to define the new leader. Putin was a man who “would never deceive you,” promised his political mentor and former St. Petersburg…

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Exiled Turkish journalist Ahmet Dönmez attacked in Sweden

New York, March 21, 2022 – Swedish authorities should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the recent attack on journalist Ahmet Dönmez and determine if he was targeted for his work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Monday. On Saturday, March 19, in Stockholm, unidentified people hit Dönmez’s car from behind and, when…

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Ukrainian journalist Oleh Baturyn released 8 days after going missing

New York, March 20, 2022 – The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Ukrainian journalist Oleh Baturyn and renews calls for anyone with information about the whereabouts of missing reporter Viktoria Roshchina to come forward immediately, CPJ said in a statement Sunday. Baturyn was missing for eight days after he went to meet…

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