Russia bans freedom of expression group Article 19 as ‘undesirable’
New York, February 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Russian authorities to reconsider designating international freedom of expression group Article 19 as “undesirable” and cease using the country’s “undesirable” law to intimidate organizations that report on press freedom violations in the country. On January 23, the Russian general prosecutor’s office outlawed Article 19 by…
Three Turkish journalists found guilty of aiding terrorist organization ‘without being a member’
Istanbul, February 15, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Turkish authorities not to fight the appeals of journalists Ahmet Altan, Nazlı Ilıcak, and Fevzi Yazıcı and ensure that members of the press are not subject to judicial harassment. The 26th Istanbul Court of Serious Crimes found the three journalists guilty of “assisting a [terrorist] organization…
Drop in jailed Turkish journalists belies a long-simmering press freedom crisis
In CPJ’s 2023 annual prison census, Turkey was the world’s 10th worst jailer of journalists—its most press-friendly ranking in almost a decade—with 13 behind bars, down from 40 the previous year. But the latest numbers don’t tell the full story. Turkey has consistently vied with China for the top slot in CPJ’s list of shame…
CPJ condemns Kyrgyzstan’s order to shut investigative outlet Kloop
Stockholm, February 12, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled by a Kyrgyzstan court decision on Friday to shutter Kloop Media, a nonprofit that runs the country’s leading investigative news website Kloop. “After last month’s mass arrest of journalists linked to anti-corruption outlet Temirov Live, the forced closure of Kloop—one of the most respected media…
Moldovan journalists Viorica Tătaru and Andrei Captarenco detained in Tiraspol
New York, February 12, 2024—CPJ condemns the recent detention of Moldovan journalists Viorica Tătaru and Andrei Captarenco in Tiraspol in the country’s east and calls on the authorities in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria to ensure that all journalists can work freely and safely. On January 24, agents with the Ministry of State Security—the security…
CPJ calls for transparent investigation into Ukraine surveillance of Bihus.Info journalists
New York, February 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed deep concern on Friday over the surveillance by Ukraine’s domestic security service (SBU) of journalists with the country’s investigative outlet Bihus.Info and called for a transparent investigation into SBU’s actions. On Monday, Bihus.Info published an investigation which said that 30 members of a branch of the SBU, the Department…
CPJ joins letter calling on British PM to protect journalists in the Israel-Gaza war
The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday joined eight other prominent press freedom organizations in sending a letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging him to call for press freedom and journalists’ rights to be respected during the Israel-Gaza war. According to CPJ data, more journalists were killed in the first 10 weeks of…
Moscow police detain around 20 journalists during protest by soldiers’ wives
New York, February 7, 2024—Russian authorities must refrain from detaining journalists in the course of their work and allow the media to report freely on protests criticizing the war in Ukraine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Around 20 journalists were arrested and briefly detained in the Russian capital of Moscow on February 3…
Kyrgyzstan upholds detention of 11 journalists; CPJ calls for release
Stockholm, February 6, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday condemned a Kyrgyzstan court’s decision to uphold the two-month pretrial detention of 11 journalists, who are current and former employees of the anti-corruption investigative outlet Temirov Live. “By confirming the arrests of 11 journalists—an unprecedented assault on press freedom in modern Kyrgyz history—authorities in Kyrgyzstan…
Turkish journalist Azim Deniz shot, wounded in Kayseri
Istanbul, February 6, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urged the Turkish authorities to thoroughly investigate Monday’s shooting and wounding of journalist Azim Deniz and determine whether he was targeted for his work. “We are very glad journalist Azim Deniz survived a despicable attack, and it is a positive development that the alleged shooter was quickly…