Europe & Central Asia

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine media and civil society organizations, including five members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium in a letter welcoming the opening of an investigation into the killing of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina, whose death in Russian custody was confirmed to her father by authorities and multiple reports. The signatories urged Russian authorities to make the circumstances…

On the eve of the seventh anniversary of the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on October 16, 2017, CPJ and 10 other journalist and freedom of expression organizations wrote to Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela calling on his government to speed up reforms to create a safer environment for the media community in…

New York, October 11, 2024—German authorities must investigate emailed bomb threats made against several broadcasting centers for the regional public radio station Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) on Saturday, October 5, and ensure the safety of the outlet’s journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.  “CPJ is concerned by the bomb threats targeting MDR broadcasting centers…

New York, October 11, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Tuesday’s denigrating comments by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, in which he called reporters “bloodthirsty bastards” who are “possessed by the devil,” and calls on Slovak authorities to ensure that journalists can do their jobs without fear of reprisal. “We are alarmed by Prime Minister…

New York, October 10, 2024—Ukrainian authorities should stop obstructing the reporting of independent news outlet Ukrainska Pravda (UP), the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday. “Leading independent Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda has paid a steep price for a quarter-century of rigorous reporting. The Ukrainian president’s offices’ efforts to block its work are nothing…

New York, October 10, 2024 — Russian authorities must immediately disclose the circumstances surrounding the death in Russian captivity of 27-year-old Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. “CPJ is shocked by the news of Viktoria Roshchina’s death during her unlawful imprisonment by Russia. We extend our deep condolences to her…

New York, October 10, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Thursday’s sentencing of Temirov Live’s director Makhabat Tajibek kyzy and presenter Azamat Ishenbekov to six and five years in prison respectively on charges of calling for mass unrest. They plan to appeal. “By sentencing two anti-corruption journalists to lengthy prison terms on retaliatory charges, Kyrgyzstan…

New York, October 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Croatian authorities to condemn the October 5 online attacks against columnist Ante Tomić made by Ivan Šipić, Minister of Demography and Immigration, and ensure journalists can safely do their jobs without fear of reprisal in the country.  “We are concerned by Minister Ivan Šipić’s rhetoric targeting columnist…

New York, October 9, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Italian authorities to end all legal proceedings against investigative journalist Simone Innocenti, charged with leaking “official secrets” in connection with his reporting, following an October 4 appeals court decision to uphold the legality of the search of his home and seizure of his devices. “The Italian appeals court’s…

Berlin, October 8, 2024—Russian authorities should immediately cancel the arrest warrants issued in absentia for Italian journalists Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini, charged with illegal border crossing following their August 14 report on the Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. “The arrest warrants for Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini are a clear attempt to intimidate and…