Turkey convicts 10 people connected to murder of journalist Güngör Arslan, including gunman
Istanbul, January 9, 2023 – In response to news reports that a Turkish court in the western province of Kocaeli on Monday convicted 10 people for their involvement in the 2022 killing of Güngör Arslan, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement welcoming the progress in his case: “Turkish authorities should be applauded…
Russian prosecutor requests 24 years in prison for journalist Ivan Safronov
Paris, August 30, 2022–In response to media reports that a Russian prosecutor on Tuesday asked that journalist Ivan Safronov be sentenced to 24 years in prison, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “The Russian prosecutor’s request that journalist Ivan Safronov be jailed for 24 years is shocking even by the…
Turkish court rejects request to release 15 journalists from pretrial detention
Istanbul, August 22, 2022 – In response to news reports that a Turkish court in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır rejected appeals to release 15 journalists and one media worker from pretrial detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “We are deeply disappointed by the court’s decision to reject a…
At least 5 journalists face court hearings over reporting in Belarus
Paris, July 11, 2022 – Authorities in Belarus should immediately stop harassing and prosecuting members of the press, and release all journalists imprisoned for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. This week, at least four members of the press are scheduled to appear in court because of their work, and another was…
At least 3 US reporters face court hearings on charges from 2020 coverage of protests and rallies
New York, March 3, 2021 – Local authorities in Iowa, Massachusetts, and North Carolina should drop all charges against journalists who were arrested while doing their jobs, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. This month, three journalists who are facing charges are scheduled to appear in court in relation to their coverage of protests…
CPJ welcomes South African Constitutional Court’s ruling condemning surveillance
New York, February 4, 2021 – In response to the South African Constitutional Court’s decision today to uphold a 2019 High Court ruling that invalidated legislation allowing for the surveillance of members of the press, the Committee to protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Journalist Sam Sole’s communications should never have been intercepted, but the…
Turkish courts to resume journalists’ trials after COVID-19 freeze
Istanbul, June 23, 2020 – Turkey should stop prosecuting journalists and ensure that necessary safety measures are taken for trials held during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 16, Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül wrote on Twitter that trials would resume in the country, following a three-month suspension due to…
CPJ concerned about Pakistan media court initiative
Washington, D.C., September 18, 2019 — Pakistan’s federal cabinet has approved an initiative to establish specialized courts aimed at resolving media-related issues, the government announced yesterday, according to news reports. The proposal drew swift condemnation on social media from human rights and press freedom organizations.
Uzbek journalist goes missing, turns up in court trial
New York, October 5, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists called today for the Uzbek authorities to immediately release journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev, who went missing on September 27 and has since been secretly tried in a criminal court in Tashkent, the capital.