Polish authorities detain, harass journalists covering refugee crossings from Belarus
Berlin, November 23, 2021 — Polish authorities should allow journalists to cover refugee movements and other events of public interest without interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Since November 14, Polish police, border guards, and soldiers have detained and obstructed at least seven journalists covering refugee movements near the country’s border with Belarus,…
Russian Nobel Prize winner Dmitry Muratov fined under foreign agent law
Vilnius, Lithuania, November 19, 2021 — Russian authorities should stop harassing journalist Dmitry Muratov and cease labelling news outlets and members of the press as “foreign agents,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Muratov and Philippine journalist Maria Ressa were jointly awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize in October. On November 11, the Basmanny…
Belarus journalists charged, detained over alleged Facebook interactions with banned outlets
Vilnius, Lithuania, November 4, 2021 — Belarusian authorities should cease their practice of banning news outlets, and should not punish journalists for allegedly interacting with such banned outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On November 1, Belarusian courts convicted two journalists, Iryna Slaunikava and Syarhei Niarouny, on charges of spreading extremism over their alleged…
Polish authorities question reporter covering Belarus border area
On September 27, 2021, police in Michałowo, a Polish town near the border with Belarus, questioned Agnieszka Kaszuba, a reporter for daily newspaper Fakt, for about an hour, according to news reports, her employer, and the journalist, who communicated with CPJ via email. Kaszuba told CPJ that the officers stopped her car while she was…
Angolan editor Carlos Alberto sentenced to fine, 2 years in prison over coverage of land deal
New York, September 17, 2021 – Angolan authorities should not contest the appeal of journalist Carlos Alberto against his prison sentence and fine, and should stop pursuing criminal defamation cases against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On September 13, the Luanda Provincial Court convicted Alberto, editor of the online…
Belarusian journalist Syarhey Hardzievich jailed for insulting president, police
Stockholm, August 12, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Syarhey Hardzievich and cease jailing independent reporters in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On August 2, the Ivanavskiy District Court in the country’s southwestern Brest region convicted Hardzievich, a correspondent with the independent regional news website Pershy Region,…
Uzbek news websites Kun.uz and Azon.uz fined for allegedly publishing ‘religious material’ without approval
Stockholm, June 24, 2021 – Uzbek authorities should drop the fines issued to staff members of the independent news websites Kun.uz and Azon.uz, and let all outlets report and comment freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 21, the Chilonzor District Court in Tashkent, the capital, fined several people affiliated with both…
Belarus sentences reporter Hlafira Zhuk to jail, authorities continue to harass journalists
Vilnius, Lithuania, June 2, 2021 — Belarusian authorities should release journalist Hlafira Zhuk immediately and cease harassing members of the press over their news coverage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 31, the Maskouski District Court in Minsk, the capital, sentenced Zhuk, a correspondent for the independent news website Narodnaya Volya, to 30…
Russia freezes RFE/RL bureau’s accounts, designates news website VTimes as ‘foreign agent’
New York, May 17, 2021 – Russian authorities should unfreeze the accounts of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and cease labeling outlets as “foreign agents,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 14, Russian authorities froze the local bank accounts of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for allegedly failing to pay…
Police detain, fine 2 journalists over corruption reporting in Russian republic of Tatarstan
New York, May 11, 2021 – Russian authorities should not contest the appeals of journalists Aleksey Solovyov and Damir Manzhukov, and should release Solovyov from detention immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 9, the Vysokogorsky District Court in Russia’s central Republic of Tatarstan convicted Solovyov and Manzhukov, correspondents for the independent…