Belarusian journalists detained ahead of presidential elections
Vilnius, Lithuania, August 6, 2020 — Belarusian authorities should immediately release blogger Evgeniy Vasilkov and allow him and other journalists to freely and safely cover upcoming presidential elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 31, police arrested Vasilkov, a blogger who also works as a mechanic, at his garage in Khoiniki, near…
Uzbek authorities interrogate journalists, confiscate equipment over retracted COVID-19 report
Since July 25, 2020, Uzbek police and representatives of the country’s public prosecutor’s office have interrogated at least six local journalists and confiscated their computers and mobile devices, according to news reports and journalists who spoke to CPJ. On July 25, several local Uzbek outlets shared allegations originally published on the news website Repost that…
How will the EU’s Digital Services Act impact journalism?
The European Union is reviewing the legal framework for digital information, goods and services—a process with the potential to change the course of internet history for journalists and everybody else. In June, the European Commission launched public consultations about the upcoming Digital Services Act (DSA), an initiative to review and expand rules established 20 years…
Amicus briefs support CPJ’s appeal in Khashoggi lawsuit
Nearly three dozen media and press freedom organizations, as well as 10 major human rights organizations and experts, have signed on to amicus briefs in support of CPJ’s appeal in its lawsuit seeking documents on whether U.S. intelligence agencies knew of threats to Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi before his murder by the Saudi government….
Journalist from Dagestan, Russia threatened with death in a phone call
New York, July 27, 2020 – Authorities in the Russian republic of Dagestan should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the death threat against journalist Svetlana Anokhina and ensure she has adequate protection, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 22, a man called Anokhina and threatened to kill her, the journalist…
Journalist Azimjon Askarov dies in prison in Kyrgyzstan
New York, July 25, 2020 – In response to the death of award-winning journalist and human rights activist Azimjon Askarov in a Kyrgyzstan prison today, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Azimjon Askarov’s death is a direct result of Kyrgyzstan authorities’ disregard for his health and basic human rights. This is a…
Turkey proposes social media law, threatening press freedom
Istanbul, July 23, 2020—A draft bill to strengthen state control of social media platforms, as well as data about those who use them in Turkey, is a troubling sign in a country where journalists are routinely jailed for posting online, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The leading Justice and Development Party (AKP) proposed…
Russian journalist Dmitriy Nizovtsev beaten by unidentified men
Vilnius, Lithuania, July 23, 2020 — Russian authorities should conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the assault of journalist Dmitriy Nizovtsev and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. This evening, three unidentified men attacked Nizovtsev, a correspondent for Shtab Navalnogo, a YouTube-based news outlet owned by opposition leader Aleksey…
Journalist Patricia Devlin on working in Northern Ireland: ‘I feel vulnerable and I feel threatened’
Over the past two years, crime and paramilitary and sectarian attacks have risen in Northern Ireland, fueled by economic stagnation, a power vacuum in the regional government, and the fallout from Brexit, according to news reports. In this climate, journalists are also increasingly at risk: freelance reporter Lyra McKee was killed in April 2019, and…
Ukrainian journalist Katerina Sergatskova in hiding amid threats, doxing
New York, July 20, 2020 — Ukrainian authorities should ensure journalist Katerina Sergatskova’s safety and investigate the threats against her, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On July 11, Roman Skrypin, a local journalist, posted on Facebook–where he has more than 130,000 followers–a photo of Sergatskova, chief editor of independent news site Zaborona, along…