Russia labels Bellingcat, other independent outlets and journalists as ‘foreign agents’
Vilnius, Lithuania, October 12, 2021 – Russian authorities should stop labeling journalists and media outlets as “foreign agents” and should allow the press to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On October 8, following the announcement that Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Russian Ministry of…
Russia labels Mediazona, OVD-Info, and 2 journalists as ‘foreign agents’
Vilnius, Lithuania, September 30, 2021 – Russian authorities should allow the independent news outlets Mediazona and OVD-Info to work freely and without government harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, the Russian Justice Ministry expanded its lists of so-called “foreign agents,” adding the independent news website Mediazona, the human-rights news website OVD-Info, and…
Afghanistan’s free press disappearing
In recent weeks in Afghanistan, the Taliban has physically attacked journalists, raided homes, and forced female state TV anchors off the air. As they seek safety, Afghan journalists fear for their lives, going into hiding and deleting their social media presences to avoid being targeted. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan this month, CPJ…
Police detain 2 journalists who covered art performance in Moscow’s Red Square
Vilnius, Lithuania, June 15, 2021 — Russian authorities should stop detaining and harassing journalists for their work, and should drop any investigation into reporters Veronika Samusik and Vasiliy Krestyaninov, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 11, Moscow police detained Samusik, a correspondent with the independent news website Sota.Vision, while she was covering a performance…
Russian court jails journalist Sergey Stepanov for 30 days over Navalny protest coverage
Vilnius, Lithuania, April 29, 2021 — Russian authorities should release journalist Sergey Stepanov immediately and should cease detaining and harassing members of the press covering protests, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, the Oktyabrsky District Court in the central Russian city of Tambov sentenced Stepanov, a freelance correspondent for Finnish TV and radio broadcaster…
Russian journalist Ilya Azar sentenced to 15 days for allegedly organizing protests
On March 3, 2021, the Tverskoy District Court in Moscow sentenced Ilya Azar, a correspondent for the liberal Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, to 15 days of detention and a fine of 150,000 rubles (US$2,014) for allegedly organizing illegal protests on Facebook, according to news reports and a statement from his employer. On March 5, the…
Russian police detain or harass more than 100 journalists amid January 31 pro-Navalny protests
New York, February 2, 2021 – Russian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all journalists detained during recent protests, and allow members of the press to cover political demonstrations without fear, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. During nationwide protests by supporters of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny on January 31, as well as…
Russian police detain, beat, and harass dozens of journalists covering pro-Navalny protests
New York, January 26, 2021 – Russian authorities should allow journalists to cover protests freely and without fear, and refrain from attacking or detaining members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On January 23, police in at least 20 cities throughout Russia detained, beat, and otherwise interfered with the work of…
Ihar Ilyash
Law enforcement officers arrested Belarusian journalist Ihar Ilyash in November 2020 at his apartment in Minsk, the capital, and sentenced him to 15 days of detention for “participating in an unsanctioned event.” He was one of dozens of journalists detained in connection with their coverage of widespread demonstrations in the second half of 2020 calling…
At least 4 journalists injured covering Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
New York, October 1, 2020 – Authorities in Armenia and Azerbaijan must ensure the safety of journalists reporting on the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At least four journalists were injured today in a shelling attack in the town of Khojavend, known locally as Martuni, in the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region…