Europe & Central Asia

  

CPJ joins letter calling on British PM to protect journalists in the Israel-Gaza war

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday joined eight other prominent press freedom organizations in sending a letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging him to call for press freedom and journalists’ rights to be respected during the Israel-Gaza war. According to CPJ data, more journalists were killed in the first 10 weeks of…

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Moscow police detain around 20 journalists during protest by soldiers’ wives

New York, February 7, 2024—Russian authorities must refrain from detaining journalists in the course of their work and allow the media to report freely on protests criticizing the war in Ukraine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Around 20 journalists were arrested and briefly detained in the Russian capital of Moscow on February 3…

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In several hearings between February 1 and February 6, 2024, the Bishkek City Court rejected the appeals of 11 journalists, who are current and former employees of the anti-corruption investigative outlet Temirov Live, and upheld their pretrial detention. (Screenshot: YouTube/Radio Azattyk)

Kyrgyzstan upholds detention of 11 journalists; CPJ calls for release

Stockholm, February 6, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday condemned a Kyrgyzstan court’s decision to uphold the two-month pretrial detention of 11 journalists, who are current and former employees of the anti-corruption investigative outlet Temirov Live. “By confirming the arrests of 11 journalists—an unprecedented assault on press freedom in modern Kyrgyz history—authorities in Kyrgyzstan…

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Turkish journalist Azim Deniz shot, wounded in Kayseri

Istanbul, February 6, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urged the Turkish authorities to thoroughly investigate Monday’s shooting and wounding of journalist Azim Deniz and determine whether he was targeted for his work. “We are very glad journalist Azim Deniz survived a despicable attack, and it is a positive development that the alleged shooter was quickly…

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Russian journalist Denis Kamalyagin

Exiled Russian journalist Denis Kamalyagin charged with violating foreign agent law

New York, February 6, 2024—Russian authorities must immediately drop all charges against journalist Denis Kamalyagin and stop harassing exiled members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Kamalyagin, editor-in-chief of the exiled Russian newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya, was charged in December with failing to comply with the country’s foreign agent law, according to…

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CPJ, partners call on European Commission to act on press freedom in Greece

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday joined 16 partner organizations in a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, to ask her to hold the Greek authorities to account for press freedom concerns. CPJ and other organizations recently reported that Greece is the only EU country to currently have two…

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CPJ joins call for Azerbaijan to maintain unfettered internet access during upcoming elections

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday joined #KeepItOn Coalition partners in calling on Azerbaijan authorities and the country’s telecommunications companies and internet service providers to maintain free, open, and secure internet access and avoid shutdowns throughout presidential elections scheduled for February 7, 2024. The letter highlights how Azerbaijani authorities have implemented internet restrictions on…

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Participants gather attend the Digital Almaty 2024 forum in Kazakhstan on February 2, 2024. Cyberattacks by unidentified perpetrators have targeted at least nine independent media outlets and multiple journalists in Kazakhstan since November 2023. (Reuters/Pavel Mikheyev)

CPJ urges Kazakh authorities to investigate cyberattacks on media

Stockholm, February 2, 2024 – Kazakh authorities should fully investigate a recent wave of cyberattacks on independent media outlets and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Cyberattacks by unidentified perpetrators have targeted at least nine independent media outlets and multiple journalists in Kazakhstan since November 2023, according to data…

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CPJ calls on Kazakh authorities to accredit 36 RFE/RL journalists

Stockholm, February 2, 2024 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned a recent decision by Kazakh authorities to block accreditation to dozens of journalists working for Radio Azattyq, the local U.S. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty service, and called on authorities to allow the outlet to work freely. “RFE/RL’s Kazakh service is well known for its…

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CPJ condemns acquittal of those involved in the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija

New York, February 2, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned a Serbian court of appeals decision announced on Friday to acquit those involved in the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija and called on Serbian authorities to continue taking steps to bring the killers to justice.  “The acquittal of the former members of the Serbian…

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