CPJ renews call for Kyrgyzstan to drop charges against journalist Makhabat Tajibek kyzy as retrial begins
London, August 24, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists reiterates its call for authorities in Kyrgyzstan to withdraw criminal charges against Makhabat Tajibek kyzy, director of anti-corruption investigative outlets Temirov Live and Ait Ait Dese, ahead of her retrial, which is scheduled to begin in Bishkek on Tuesday. Tajibek kyzy spent more than two years in…
From prosecutions to bans and spurious copyright claims: how Kazakhstan’s journalists are being silenced
Ahead of this month’s parliamentary election, independent journalists in Kazakhstan have faced “unprecedented” pressure, ranging from criminal prosecutions to professional bans, and this crackdown warrants heightened international scrutiny to ensure the country upholds its obligations on media freedom. Voters go to the polls on August 23 to elect a unicameral parliament established under a new…
Kazakhstan sentences journalist Gulnara Bazhkenova to eight years in prison as pre-election press crackdown intensifies
New York, August 19, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists is shocked by the eight-year prison sentence handed down to Gulnara Bazhkenova, former editor-in-chief of independent outlet Orda, in Kazakhstan on August 18, and warns that this latest prosecution appears to be part of an escalating crackdown on the media ahead of elections this month. An Almaty…
Bangladesh war crimes tribunal issues fresh warrants for 3 journalists over press conference questions
New Delhi, August 18, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Bangladeshi authorities to drop their new crimes against humanity case against journalists Shyamal Dutta, Mozammel Babu, and Farzana Rupa, and stop criminalizing news reporting. Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday ordered prison authorities to produce the journalists, who have been detained since 2024…
5 years after Taliban takeover, CPJ calls for an end to deepening repression of journalists
New York, August 14, 2026—Five years on from the Taliban’s seizure of Afghanistan, the Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the group to halt its brutal repression of the press — particularly women journalists — and lift sweeping restrictions that have cut access to independent information and allowed a propaganda ecosystem to flourish. After capturing…
Russia sentences journalist Vasilisa Shishkina to 12 years in jail on treason charges
Berlin, August 12, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Russian authorities to swiftly clarify the circumstances surrounding the prosecution of journalist Vasilisa Shishkina on treason charges and her subsequent sentencing in May to 12 years in prison amid reports that she was targeted because of her work. Shishkina, an editor at the regional outlet Nomer…
Azerbaijan: CPJ condemns shocking sentences handed down in Toplum TV case
New York, July 28, 2026 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the extremely harsh prison sentences of up to 15 years handed down on July 27 to journalists and other individuals associated with leading Azerbaijani news outlet Toplum TV on charges related to receipt and use of foreign funds. “The shockingly heavy sentences meted…
CPJ, partners demand release of Egyptian cartoonist Ashraf Omar on arrest anniversary
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined partner organizations on Wednesday to mark Ashraf Omar’s second arrest anniversary by calling for his immediate release. In the letter, the signatories voice concern over the significant time that has passed since the Al-Manassa cartoonist was arrested in his home on July 22, 2024 and their refusal to accept…
CPJ, SCM submit report to UN ahead of Syria human rights review
The Committee to Protect Journalists, together with the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), has submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council documenting persistent threats to press freedom in Syria, ahead of the country’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR, a UN mechanism that reviews each member state’s human…
Cambodia jails journalist Luot Sophal for 2 years over report on soldiers’ water shortages
Bangkok, July 21, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the two-year prison sentence given to Cambodian journalist Luot Sophal on incitement charges and calls for his immediate and unconditional release. Sophal, a reporter with the independent local news site Srotop Yuvakvey, was convicted on July 14 by the Oddar Meanchey Provincial Court on charges of…