CPJ welcomes European Commission recommendation on journalist safety
Brussels, September 16, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed new journalist safety guidelines published by the European Commission, and called on EU member states to implement them as soon as possible. The nonbinding recommendation lists dozens of steps that states can take to ensure that journalists can work safely, including to prosecute…
Polish parliament to vote on media bill targeting broadcaster TVN24
Berlin, September 15, 2021 — Polish lawmakers should reject an amendment to the country’s broadcast media law that threatens the independence of commercial television broadcaster TVN24, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The draft amendment, which CPJ reviewed, would change Article 35 of the Broadcasting Act to restrict broadcast licenses solely to companies that…
BBC news crew threatened by COVID-19 protesters in UK
Berlin, September 14, 2021 — United Kingdom authorities must conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the threats against journalist Phillip Norton and his crew and ensure their safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 28, demonstrators protesting the government’s measures to curb COVID-19 in Scarborough, a resort town on England’s North…
Belarus authorities continue to charge and detain journalists, raid homes
Stockholm, September 9, 2021 – Belarus authorities must cease their persecution of independent journalists and outlets who have covered the protest movement against President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s contested reelection or are otherwise critical of the government, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Last week, authorities in Belarus charged Iryna Leushyna, the director of the country’s…
N1 TV crew attacked and harassed at Montenegro protest
Berlin, September 9, 2021 – Montenegro authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate the recent attack on a crew for the privately owned broadcaster N1 TV, and ensure that journalists can cover protests safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 5, a group of protesters in Cetinje, west of Podgorica, the capital, harassed…
Protesters against Slovenian COVID-19 response and vaccination storm headquarters of RTVS broadcaster
Berlin, September 9, 2021 — Slovenian authorities must thoroughly investigate demonstrators’ storming of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija (RTVS) and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Starting around 8:30 p.m. on September 3, about 20 people demonstrating against the country’s COVID-19 response and vaccination program broke into the broadcaster’s…
Demonstrators in Italy attack two journalists during COVID-19 protests
Berlin, September 8, 2021–Italian authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate recent attacks on journalists covering COVID-19 protests, hold those responsible to account, and ensure that reporters can cover events of public interest safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 28, a group of demonstrators protesting the government’s recent measures to curb COVID-19…
Belarus Supreme Court dissolves Belarusian Association of Journalists
Stockholm, August 27, 2021 – In response to today’s ruling by the Supreme Court of Belarus to dissolve the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the country’s largest independent media association, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Authorities’ shameless forced closure of the Belarusian Association of Journalists is an escalation of the country’s long-running…
‘Action should follow words’: Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family wants Maltese journalists to work without fear
Last week’s indictment of businessman Yorgen Fenech marked a critical step in the quest for accountability in the murder of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. According to news reports, Malta’s attorney general has called for a life sentence plus an additional 20 to 30 years behind bars for Fenech, the alleged mastermind of…
Russian authorities add Dozhd, IStories to ‘foreign agents’ register
Stockholm, August 25, 2021 – Russian authorities should cease labeling news outlets as “foreign agents,” and should let all independent media companies work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 20, the Justice Ministry added Dozhd, the country’s biggest independent TV channel, and IStories fonds, the Latvia-based publisher of independent investigative news…