Russia / Europe & Central Asia

  
Police officers are seen in Moscow, Russia, on August 3, 2019. Authorities in Pskov recently harassed journalists covering the case of Svetlana Prokopyeva. (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian authorities harass journalists reporting on Svetlana Prokopyeva terrorism case

Vilnius, October 4, 2019 — Russian authorities should drop the charges against journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva and stop harassing reporters covering her case, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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A woman gets out of a polling booth prior to casting her vote at a polling station during the governor's election in Saint Petersburg on September 8, 2019. Russia's internet regulator blocked independent news website Fergana on October 1, 2019. (AFP/Olga Maltseva)

Russian internet regulator blocks independent Fergana news website

Vilnius, October 2, 2019–Russian authorities should immediately reinstate access to the independent news website Fergana, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Police officers are seen in Moscow, Russia, on August 3, 2019. Police in Saratov recently raided journalist AleksandrNikishin's apartment and interrogated him. (AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian police raid home of journalist Aleksandr Nikishin

Vilnius, September 13, 2019 — Russian authorities should stop harassing journalist Aleksandr Nikishin and allow him to work freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Police detain a man during a protest in Moscow, Russia, on August 10, 2019. CPJ on August 22 joined a call for Russian authorities to end the harassment of journalists covering the Moscow protests. (Evgeny Feldman/Meduza via AP)

CPJ joins call for Russian authorities to end harassment of journalists covering Moscow protests

The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined seven other press freedom organizations in calling on the Russian authorities to end their harassment of journalists covering opposition protests in Moscow. Protests have taken place on four consecutive Saturdays in July and August after the local electoral commission’s decision to ban several opposition politicians from participating in…

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People help a wounded man during a rally calling for opposition candidates to be registered for elections to the Moscow City Duma, the capital's regional parliament, in Moscow, Russia, on July 27, 2019. Police in Moscow attacked, threatened, and detained journalists covering protests in Moscow on July 27 and August 3. (Reuters/Tatyana Makeyeva)

Moscow police detain, assault journalists covering protests

Washington, D.C., August 8, 2019–Russian authorities should allow journalists to cover protests freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today, after the detention of several journalists and the use of force by police against the media during demonstrations in Moscow on July 27 and August 3.

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Employees of a regional TV company work during the broadcast of an annual nationwide televised phone-in show attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Krasnoyarsk, Russia June 20, 2019. Journalist Mikhail Romanov found guilty of "abuse of freedom of information" and "false" news in the city of Yakutsk on July 25. (Reuters/Ilya Naymushin)

Russian journalist Mikhail Romanov found guilty of ‘abuse of freedom of information’ and ‘false’ news

Washington, D.C., August 2, 2019–Journalist Mikhail Romanov, a correspondent with the weekly Yakutsk Vecherniy, was found guilty on July 25 by the city court of Yakutsk, in eastern Russia, on charges of “abuse of freedom of information by publishing false information that poses a threat to the public,” according to news reports. He was fined…

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Police officers are seen in Magas, Ingushetia, on October 8, 2018. FSB agents in Ingushetia recently detained and allegedly tortured journalist Rashid Maysigov. (Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)

Ingushetia court orders journalist Rashid Maysigov to remain in pre-trial detention for two months

Washington, D.C., July 22, 2019 — Authorities in the Republic of Ingushetia must release journalist Rashid Maysigov unconditionally and investigate allegations that he was tortured in custody, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Can Dündar, the former editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper pictured on April 7, 2017, now runs nonprofit online radio station 'Ozguruz' from exile in Germany. (AP/Markus Schreiber)

For Turkish journalists in Berlin exile, threats remain, but in different forms

For Can Dündar, sitting in the audience of a theater performance near Dortmund in Germany in May was an emotional moment. In an interview with CPJ, he recalled how during the premiere night, he watched the main actor on stage playing a journalist as he was imprisoned in Turkey, had his house searched, his books…

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UK should not deny media access based on propaganda label

CPJ writes to U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to express concern at his government’s decision to deny accreditation to Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik based on a determination that the outlets are a form of propaganda. The move empowers autocratic governments around the world who use a similar rationale to justify the repression of critical journalism.

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An aerial view of the Dagestan capital of Makhachkala on March 24, 2012. Chernovik editor Abdulmumin Gadzhiev was detained in Makhachkala on terrorism charges on June 14, 2019. (Reuters/Grigory Dukor)

Editor Abdulmumin Gadzhiev detained in Russia on terrorism charges

Washington, D.C., June 14, 2019–Authorities in the Russian republic of Dagestan should immediately drop the charges against Makhachkala-based journalist Abdulmumin Gadzhiev and release him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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