Russian journalist Roman Ivanov sentenced to 7 years for ‘fake news’ about army
New York, March 7, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday condemned the seven-year sentence issued to journalist Roman Ivanov over his social media posts about the Russian army and called on authorities to release him immediately and drop all charges against him. On Wednesday, a court in the city of Korolyov, some 30 kilometers…
Council of Europe journalist safety platform sounds alarm over spyware and abusive lawsuits
The use of spyware against journalists, abusive lawsuits, and the perils facing journalists in exile are among the main concerns raised in the annual report of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists released on March 5, 2024. The Committee to Protect Journalists was one of 15 press…
Turkish police hold 3 journalists for 3 days on suspicion of ‘financing terrorism’
Istanbul, March 1, 2024—Police raided the homes of three Kurdish journalists and detained them for three days in a February incident that appears to be part of an ongoing trend of systemic harassment by Turkish authorities. Several journalists working for pro-Kurdish outlets have been arrested over the past 12 months including journalists Dicle Müftüoğlu and…
Why extradition of WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange to US would be cataclysmic for press freedom
The Australian founder of the website WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, has been fighting extradition to the U.S. from the U.K. since 2019 on charges that could strike a blow to press freedom globally. Here is CPJ’s briefing on the legal battle to extradite Assange, the charges he would face in the U.S., and why his prosecution…
CPJ, others renew support for journalists in UK surveillance investigation
Berlin, February 28, 2024—As a court hearing opened on Wednesday into complaints that two British journalists were targeted by UK authorities with covert surveillance, the Committee to Protect Journalists, together with four other press freedom groups, renewed their support for the investigation. The investigation stems from complaints filed by investigative journalists Trevor Birney and Barry…
At least 4 journalists briefly detained in Russia over memorials to Navalny
New York, February 21, 2024—Russian authorities should refrain from detaining journalists who cover gatherings in memory of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and let members of the press report freely on events of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. At least four journalists were briefly detained last Friday and Saturday while reporting on gatherings to…
Russia bans Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as ‘undesirable’
New York, February 21, 2024—Russian authorities must stop harassing U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and cease obstructing the work of media outlets by labeling them as “undesirable,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Justice added RFE/RL to its register of “undesirable” organizations after the Russian general…
CPJ and partners call on Slovakia to ensure justice for the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak
Berlin, February 21, 2024—On the sixth anniversary of the brutal killing of Slovak investigative reporter Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová on Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists and seven other international press freedom organizations renewed their call for justice and an end to the cycle of impunity in Slovakia. Despite the hitmen and…
CPJ warns Assange extradition would be blow to press freedom
Washington, D.C., February 20, 2024—As the two-day hearing of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s appeal against extradition from Britain to the United States opened in London on Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists warned that extraditing Assange would set a dangerous precedent for media freedom. “Assange’s lengthy legal battle could come to an end if the…
Turkey puts 5 journalists under house arrest or judicial control
Istanbul, February 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Turkish authorities to cancel the house arrests under electronic tagging and judicial controls placed on five journalists and to stop equating journalism with terrorism. On Tuesday, police raided the homes of five reporters and took them into custody in the western city of Izmir, according to news reports….