Madagascar threatens criminal sanctions against 2 journalists
Nairobi, August 19, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Malagasy authorities to retract threats of criminal prosecution directed at Gaëlle Borgia, a freelancer who contributes to TV5 Monde, and Radio France Internationale (RFI) correspondent Pauline Le Troquier, and to ensure that the press can cover matters of public interest without interference. According to the…
Kyrgyzstan tightens control over media with new false news laws
New York, July 15, 2025—President Sadyr Japarov signed amendments to the Kyrgyz Code of Offenses on July 8, introducing administrative penalties for spreading “false or unreliable” information via mass media or the internet — another in a series of ongoing moves toward cracking down on the country’s independent press. The law, whose signing was announced July 11, will go…
Indian state’s proposed misinformation law opens door to criminalizing press
New Delhi, July 7, 2025—Authorities in the southern Indian state of Karnataka must ensure that a proposed law to curb misinformation and fake news does not infringe on press freedom or criminalize journalism, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. “Criminalizing vague and undefined forms of ‘fake news’ without proper judicial oversight risks silencing critical…
Russian journalist Sergey Mikhaylov sentenced to 8 years in prison
New York, August 30, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the sentencing Friday of Russian journalist Sergey Mikhaylov to eight years in prison on “fake news” charges and calls on Russian authorities to release him immediately. “The sentencing of journalist Sergey Mikhaylov to eight years in prison on what Russian authorities label as ‘fake…
Russia brings new charges against jailed journalists Alsu Kurmasheva and Maria Ponomarenko, targets exiled journalist Masha Gessen
Paris, December 14, 2023—Russian authorities must immediately release journalists Alsu Kurmasheva and Maria Ponomarenko, drop all charges against them, and stop harassing exiled members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Tuesday, the Telegram channel Baza and state news agency Tatar-Inform reported that Kurmasheva, a dual U.S.-Russian national and an editor…
Egypt bans Mada Masr website for 6 months over report on Israel-Gaza war
New York, October 31, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) to revoke its six-month ban on the independent news website Mada Masr over its reporting on the Israel-Gaza war and to reverse its decision to refer the outlet for prosecution. On Sunday, the SCMR announced that, after…
Russian court sentences journalist Mikhail Afanasyev to 5½ years in prison for ‘fake news’ about army
New York, September 7, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Russian court’s sentencing of Mikhail Afanasyev, founder and publisher of online magazine Novy Fokus, to 5½ years imprisonment for allegedly using his position to spread false information about the Russian army. The Abakan court on Thursday also banned Afanasyev from working as a journalist,…
Two exiled Russian journalists sentenced to 11 years for disseminating ‘fake’ news on Ukraine war
New York, August 31, 2023—Russian authorities should not contest the appeals of exiled journalists Ruslan Leviev and Michael Nacke and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Tuesday, August 29, the Basmanny Court in Moscow sentenced Leviev, founder of the Russian independent investigative project Conflict Intelligence Team, and Nacke,…
Russian authorities charge journalist Roman Ivanov with ‘fake news,’ raid Prufy.ru office
Paris, April 13, 2023 – Russian authorities should immediately release journalist Roman Ivanov and stop harassing and prosecuting members of the press for their reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Wednesday, April 12, a court in the city of Korolyov ordered Roman Ivanov, a reporter with independent news website RusNews who had…
Russian authorities search homes of 5 journalists as witnesses in investigation into ‘fake’ information about the army
Paris, September 8, 2022—Russian authorities should stop using investigations into so-called “fake” information about the Russian military to harass journalists, and should let the media work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Thursday, September 8, authorities searched the homes of at least five journalists in cities across Russia over their alleged connection…