Belarus sentences reporter Hlafira Zhuk to jail, authorities continue to harass journalists
Vilnius, Lithuania, June 2, 2021 — Belarusian authorities should release journalist Hlafira Zhuk immediately and cease harassing members of the press over their news coverage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 31, the Maskouski District Court in Minsk, the capital, sentenced Zhuk, a correspondent for the independent news website Narodnaya Volya, to 30…
Bulgarian journalist Nickolay Stoyanov faces criminal defamation suits over reporting
Berlin, June 2, 2021 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the filing of three criminal defamation suits against Bulgarian journalist Nickolay Stoyanov, and called on authorities to reform the country’s laws to decriminalize speech. Since February, two subjects of Stoyanov’s reporting for the Bulgarian weekly Capital have filed criminal defamation suits over his…
EU must seek justice for Kyrgyz journalist Azimjon Askarov in upcoming talks
Brussels, June 2, 2021 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on European Union officials to use upcoming talks with the Kyrgyzstan government to seek justice for the death of imprisoned journalist Azimjon Askarov. Askarov died in prison on July 25, 2020, as CPJ documented at the time; he had been sick in prison…
Hungarian court convicts reporter Júlia Halász on criminal defamation charge
Berlin, May 28, 2021 — Hungarian authorities should not contest journalist Júlia Halász’s appeal of a recent criminal defamation verdict, and should reform the country’s laws to decriminalize speech, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 6, an appellate court in Budapest upheld a lower court’s November 12, 2020, ruling to convict Halász,…
In Belarus, Pratasevich’s arrest highlights risks facing journalists covering protests
The May 23 arrest of Belarusian journalist and blogger Raman Pratasevich off a diverted commercial passenger flight was a shattering blow to press freedom in Belarus. Pratasevich is the co-founder of NEXTA and chief editor of Belarus of the Brain, two Telegram channels that covered protests against President Aleksandr Lukashenko, a dangerous beat in the country where demonstrations are…
Turkmen security officials threaten, harass families of two exiled journalists
Stockholm, May 26, 2021 – Turkmen authorities must immediately end the practice of harassing exiled journalists’ family members and allow all Turkmen journalists based abroad to return to the country and report in safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On a number of occasions between March and May this year, officers of the…
Belarusian authorities briefly detain 4 Tut.by journalists; at least 13 staff remain in custody
New York, May 25, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all employees of the independent news website Tut.by who remain in custody, and cease harassing the outlet’s employees, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, police in Minsk, the capital, arrested Tut.by reporters Anastasiya Prudnikava and Dzianis Burkouski, and social media…
Council of the EU must press Belarus to release journalist Raman Pratasevich
Brussels, May 25, 2021 – In response to a statement yesterday by the European Council demanding the immediate release of Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich and calling for sanctions on Belarusian officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “We welcome the call by European leaders for the immediate release of Belarusian journalist Raman…
UK online safety bill raises censorship concerns and questions on future of encryption
The U.K. government emphasized press freedom this month when it published the draft online safety bill for social media companies, pledging that the bill would protect both “citizen journalism” and “recognized news publishers” from censorship. Vocal segments of the media not only welcomed the legislation, but actively campaigned for it. When Oliver Dowden, secretary of…
Detained Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich appears in ‘confession’ video
Vilnius, Lithuania, May 24, 2021 — Belarusian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Raman Pratasevich, who was detained yesterday, and allow him to leave the country freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, Pratasevich appeared in a 29-second video first published by the pro-government Telegram channel Zhyoltiye Slivy. In that video, which…