Police detain camera operator Nazım Fayık while covering protest in Ankara, Turkey
On July 5, 2021, police disrupted a protest near a prison in Ankara, Turkey, and detained at least one journalist, according to news reports and video of the detention shared on social media. Police detained Nazım Fayık, a camera operator with the leftist pro-Kurdish website and TV broadcaster Artı Gerçek, along with five demonstrators at…
Georgian camera operator Aleksandre Lashkarava dies after beating by anti-LGBT demonstrators
Stockholm, July 12, 2021 – In response to the death of TV Pirveli camera operator Aleksandre “Lekso” Lashkarava yesterday in Georgia, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Georgian authorities must thoroughly investigate whether Lekso Lashkarava died as a result of the assault he suffered while covering a demonstration,” said Robert Mahoney, CPJ’s…
Belarusian authorities raid news outlets, detain journalists amid nationwide crackdown
New York, July 8, 2021 – Belarusian authorities must release all journalists held in custody for their work and drop all investigations into independent news outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Starting this morning, authorities raided at least three news outlets and arrested at least seven journalists nationwide amid a crackdown on the…
Imprisoned Belarusian journalist Andrei Aliaksandrau charged with treason
New York, July 7, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Andrei Aliaksandrau, drop all charges against him, and ensure that journalists can work freely and without fear, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 30, authorities charged Aliaksandrau, founder and chief editor of the news website Belaruski Zhurnal, with treason, according…
Journalists attacked by anti-LGBT demonstrators in Tbilisi, Georgia
New York, July 6, 2021 – Georgian authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate anti-LGBT demonstrators’ recent attacks on dozens of journalists, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, a group of more than 1,000 people demonstrating against a planned LGBT Pride rally in Tbilisi, the capital, attacked dozens…
Crime reporter Peter R. de Vries shot in Amsterdam, hospitalized in critical condition
New York, July 6, 2021 – In response to the shooting today of Dutch journalist Peter R. de Vries, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Dutch authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate the shooting of crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, determine if he was targeted for his work, and ensure that…
Iceland fishing company goes ‘guerilla’ on journalists who uncovered alleged corruption
When in March of this year a neighbor alerted Helgi Seljan, an investigative reporter for Iceland’s public broadcaster Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV), that she had seen someone lurking around his house, he was alarmed, he told CPJ in a video interview. Seljan said that the neighbor recognized the alleged lurker as Jón Óttar Ólafsson, a former police…
‘The most dangerous situation’: Serbian journalists accused of links to organized crime
In March, when a reporter at Serbian investigative news site KRIK asked President Aleksandar Vučić at a press conference about the government’s alleged links to organized crime, governing party politicians and pro-government media outlets turned the claim back on KRIK. They accused the journalists of being part of a criminal network, which KRIK has forcefully denied, as CPJ…
Turkish journalist and press freedom advocate Hakkı Boltan sentenced to 2 years in prison for insulting president and prime minister
Istanbul, June 29, 2021 – Turkey must not contest journalist Hakkı Boltan’s appeal, and should ensure that all members of the press can work freely and without fear of imprisonment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Earlier today, the 12th Diyarbakır Court of First Instance, in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır, convicted Boltan of…
Russian police interrogate 3 journalists with investigative outlet Proekt, raid apartments
New York, June 29, 2021 – Russian authorities should immediately drop their investigations into journalists at the investigative news website Proekt, and ensure that the members of the press can work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, Moscow police raided the apartments of Proekt chief editor Roman Badanin, deputy editor Mikhail Rubin,…