RFE/RL contributor Vladyslav Yesypenko arrested, accused of espionage in Crimea
New York, March 18, 2021 – Russian authorities should immediately release journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On March 10, Federal Security Service officers in Russian-occupied Crimea detained Yesypenko, a freelance journalist, according to news reports and a lawyer hired by his family, Emil Kurbedinov,…
Belarusian authorities detain reporter Dzianis Ivashyn; prosecute journalists for protest coverage
Vilnius, Lithuania, March 17, 2021 — Belarusian authorities must stop prosecuting and harassing members of the press, and should allow reporters to cover issues of national significance without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On March 12, officers of the KGB, the Belarusian security service, in the western city of Hrodna…
Journalist arrested from clinic bed, detained over defamation complaint in Republic of Congo
Dakar, March 16, 2021 — Authorities in the Republic of Congo should immediately release journalist Raymond Malonga and ensure that the press in the country can work without fear of harassment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On February 2, security officers in plainclothes arrested Malonga, an editor at the privately owned Sel-Piment newspaper,…
At least 3 journalists detained overnight in Yemen, pressured not to cover protests
On February 18, 2021, police in Hadramout Governorate, Yemen, detained at least three journalists and forced at least two of them to sign statements promising not to cover political protests in the region, according to the a statement by the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate, a local press freedom group, and Mohammed al-Yezidi, a local reporter familiar…
Myanmar military raids newsrooms, revokes 5 media outlets’ licenses
Bangkok, March 9, 2021 – Myanmar’s military authorities must immediately cease using media license cancellations as a means of censorship, refrain from raiding newsrooms, and stop arresting journalists for doing their jobs, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, state broadcaster MRTV announced that the country’s military government had rescinded the operating licenses of…
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…
China detains family members of Radio Free Asia Uyghur editor Eset Sulaiman
Taipei, March 8, 2021 – Chinese authorities should immediately release the relatives of journalist Eset Sulaiman, and stop intimidating members of the press abroad by targeting their family in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In a March 3 report, the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Asia, where Eset works as a…
Egyptian columnist Gamal al-Gamal arrested, charged with terrorism, false news
New York, March 1, 2021 – Egyptian authorities must immediately release journalist Gamal al-Gamal and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On February 22, authorities arrested al-Gamal, a freelance columnist who contributes to local and regional news websites, in Cairo International Airport upon his return from Turkey, where he…
Ethiopian military detains BBC reporter, translators for AFP and FT
Nairobi, March 1, 2021 – In response to Ethiopian military forces’ arrests of at least four journalists and media workers covering the conflict in the northern state of Tigray, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The scarcity of independent reporting coming out of Tigray during this conflict was already deeply alarming. Now,…
CPJ calls on Myanmar military to release all journalists detained amid crackdown
Bangkok, March 1, 2021 – Myanmar’s military junta must immediately release all journalists detained for their work, and allow reporters to cover protests without fear of reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since February 9, security forces arrested at least 18 journalists covering demonstrations throughout the country against the military government, which took…