Europe & Central Asia

  
Journalist Viktoria Roshchina disappeared while covering Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. (Photo: Courtesy Hromadske)

Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina missing since August 3

Riga, October 5, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the disappearance of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina and called on Russian authorities and anyone with information about her to disclose her location immediately. “We are deeply worried by the disappearance of Viktoria Roshchina, who has been missing for over two months after planning to…

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Turkey indicts 2 Kurdish journalists on terrorism charges

Istanbul, October 5, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists urged Turkish authorities on Thursday to immediately release journalists Dicle Müftüoğlu and Sedat Yılmaz, who have been held in pretrial detention for more than five months, and to stop using terrorism legislation to criminalize journalists. Müftüoğlu and Yılmaz, both editors at the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, were…

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CPJ calls for Burkina Faso to reverse suspension of Jeune Afrique

Dakar, October 4, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on Burkinabè authorities to lift their suspension of the French news magazine Jeune Afrique, reverse their suspension of other media outlets, and ensure journalists can work in the West African country without fear of reprisal. On September 25, the government issued an order, reviewed…

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Russian blogger Aleksandr Nozdrinov in court in Novokubansk just before he was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison on charges of spreading "fake news" in connection with the Ukraine war on September 29, 2023.

Russian blogger Aleksandr Nozdrinov sentenced to 8½ years in prison for ‘fake news’ about army

New York, October 2, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday condemned the 8½-year sentence issued to Russian blogger Aleksandr Nozdrinov and called on Russian authorities to release him immediately and drop all charges against him. On Friday, September 29, a court in the southwestern city of Novokubansk convicted Nozdrinov on charges of spreading false…

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Headshot of Turkish journalist İsmail Arı

Turkey urged to act on death threats against journalist İsmail Arı

Istanbul, September 29, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalist calls on Turkish authorities to respond to reporter İsmail Arı’s criminal complaints regarding the online threats he has been receiving. “Turkish authorities should stop turning a blind eye to reporter İsmail Arı’s criminal complaints about the online threats he is facing and take them seriously,” said Özgür…

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Press freedom groups find Greek authorities failed to investigate journalist murders

Impunity in the cases of Sokratis Giolias and Giorgios Karaivaz underscores decline in media freedom in Greece Athens, September 29, 2023—A pattern of inaction and inadequate investigation from Greek authorities in the 2010 murder of Greek journalist Sokratis Giolias was revealed in an investigation published today by press freedom groups Free Press Unlimited, the Committee…

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Journalist Oleksandr Pavlov injured in drone attack in Ukraine

New York, September 28, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday condemned a drone attack on journalists working in Ukraine and called on authorities to ensure that members of the press are not targeted while covering the war. On Tuesday, September 19, Oleksandr Pavlov, a Ukrainian producer with the privately owned Swedish TV channel TV4,…

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Andrei Tolchyn

Belarus detains journalist Andrei Tolchyn on extremism charges

New York, September 28, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the 72-hour detention of Belarusian journalist Andrei Tolchyn on extremism charges. “Belarusian authorities continue to detain journalists on spurious grounds, with their preferred weapon being extremism charges,” Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator said on Thursday. “Authorities should drop all charges against…

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CPJ joins mission, press conference calling for decisive action to protect journalists in Greece

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined seven other international press freedom organizations on Wednesday to call on Greek authorities to make a clear demonstration of political commitment to improve press freedom in the country and take specific measures in compliance with European standards to renew the trust of the media community. The groups’ press conference…

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Belarusian court sentences journalist Vyacheslau Lazarau to 5.5 years on extremism charges

New York, September 25, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Belarusian court’s Monday sentencing of journalist Vyacheslau Lazarau to 5.5 years in prison for allegedly facilitating extremism. “Vyacheslau Lazarau’s sentencing to 5.5 years in prison demonstrates how the country’s ‘extremist’ laws have become the most frequent tool the Belarusian authorities use to jail journalists…

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