Nataliya Rovenskaya/CPJ Europe and Central Asia Consultant

Nataliya Rovenskaya, CPJ's Europe and Central Asia consultant, previously worked in the Russia program at the Ford Foundation. She completed her graduate studies at Columbia University in international affairs, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia. Follow her on Twitter @NRovenskaya_CPJ.

Anarchists and suspected mafia target Italian media

The last several months in Italy have seen a few disquieting attacks against independent media and an investigative reporter. In one case, the widely distributed independent newspaper La Stampa received an explosive device in the mail.  The Federazione Anarchica Informale/Fronte Rivoluzionario, an anarchist organization, claimed responsibility and ominously noted that La Stampa was just one…

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President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, relinquished ownership of Turkmenistan's newspapers, but journalists are still appointed by his decree. (Reuters/Stoyan Nenov)

Turkmenistan opens up media–in name only

Turkmenistan is trying to burnish its image by passing its first law on press freedom. On January 4th, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov signed a law that bans press censorship, bars the government from monopolizing news outlets, and grants the public access to all forms of information, including independent and foreign reporting. Unfortunately, reform appears to be…

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