Romania / Europe & Central Asia

  
Romanian investigative journalist Emilia Șercan faces online harassment and death threats after exposing alleged plagiarism by a government minister.

Romanian journalist Emilia Șercan threatened after plagiarism exposé

Berlin, January 22, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Romanian authorities to conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the smear campaign, threats of bodily harm, and death threats targeting investigative journalist Emilia Șercan following her article on alleged plagiarism by a government minister.  Șercan’s January 14 exposé on the Press One news site alleged that Romania’s minister of…

Read More ›

Victor Ilie

CPJ, partners demand answers over surveillance of investigative journalist Victor Ilie

Berlin, March 24, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists and six other international media freedom organizations expressed concern over revelations that Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) physically surveilled and wiretapped investigative journalist Victor Ilie and called for Romanian authorities to investigate the agency’s actions. On March 17, the journalist revealed that he had been under surveillance…

Read More ›

CPJ dismayed after Romanian authorities close investigation into harassment and smear campaign against journalist Emilia Șercan

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine other press freedom groups on Tuesday in expressing disappointment after Romania’s prosecutor’s office at the Bucharest Court of Appeal decided to close the investigation into the harassment and smear campaign against investigative journalist Emilia Șercan. Since January 2022, Șercan has received threatening emails and social media messages, and several…

Read More ›

CPJ joins renewed call for Romanian authorities to investigate harassment of journalist Emilia Șercan

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine other international press freedom organizations in a letter to Romanian authorities on February 17, 2023, expressing deep concern over delays in the investigation into the harassment of investigative journalist Emilia Șercan. Despite earlier calls to Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă and other government officials, authorities have failed to investigate…

Read More ›

CPJ joins letter calling on Romanian authorities to hasten investigation into harassment of journalist Emilia Șercan

In a joint letter addressed to Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă and other government officials on Tuesday, June 28, the Committee to Protect Journalists and seven international press freedom organizations expressed their deep concerns over delays in the investigation into harassment of investigative journalist Emilia Șercan. Since January, Șercan has received threatening emails and social media messages, and…

Read More ›

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…

Read More ›

Romanian investigative journalist Emilia Șercan targeted by smear campaign

Berlin, April 8, 2022 — Romanian authorities must conduct an independent investigation into the harassment and smear campaign against investigative journalist Emilia Șercan, investigate her claims that state officials participated in the campaign, and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Since January 18, when Șercan published an article alleging…

Read More ›

Romanian prosecutors question Newsweek and Libertatea employees over corruption reporting

Berlin, June 3, 2021 — Romanian authorities should stop summoning journalists for questioning over their work, and local officials should not pursue criminal cases against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since May 20, prosecutors at the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, a judiciary agency tasked with investigating…

Read More ›

A man waits for customers in a news kiosk in Bucharest, Romania, on March 22, 2011. Romanian investigative journalist Diana Oncioiu received an anonymous death threat on June 11, 2019. (AFP/Daniel Mihailescu)

Romanian investigative journalist Diana Oncioiu receives anonymous death threat

Berlin, June 13, 2019 — Romanian authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate the death threat against investigative journalist Diana Oncioiu and ensure her safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

A newspaper vendor is seen in Bucharest, Romania, on May 30, 2017. Romanian reporter Emilia Șercan recently received death threats relating to her work. (AP/Vadim Ghirda)

Romanian investigative journalist Emilia Șercan receives death threats

New York, April 18, 2019 — Romanian authorities should conduct a swift investigation into the death threats levied against investigative journalist Emilia Șercan and ensure her safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›