Russia / Europe & Central Asia

  
Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a video address in Moscow ahead of the upcoming presidential election, in a picture released on March 14, 2024.

CPJ joins call for Russia to keep the internet on during presidential elections

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined #KeepItOn Coalition partners on Thursday in calling on Russian authorities and telecommunications providers to maintain free, open, and secure internet access before, during, and after presidential elections scheduled for March 15 to 17. The letter highlights Russia’s history of internet shutdowns, including the blocking of tech companies that refused…

Read More ›

Crimean journalists Rustem Osmanov (left) and Aziz Azizov of Crimean Solidarity

Russia holding Crimean journalists Rustem Osmanov and Aziz Azizov for 2 months on terror charges

New York, March 8, 2024—Russian authorities in Ukraine’s Crimea must drop all charges against journalists Rustem Osmanov and Aziz Azizov, release them immediately, and stop prosecuting the press in retaliation for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. At around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, in the southern Crimea town of Bakhchysarai, officers with…

Read More ›

RusNews reporter Roman Ivanov walks into a court in Korolyov, Russia on April 12, 2023. The court ordered he be detained until June 10 on three charges of spreading fake information about the Russian army.

Russian journalist Roman Ivanov sentenced to 7 years for ‘fake news’ about army

New York, March 7, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Thursday condemned the seven-year sentence issued to journalist Roman Ivanov over his social media posts about the Russian army and called on authorities to release him immediately and drop all charges against him. On Wednesday, a court in the city of Korolyov, some 30 kilometers…

Read More ›

People lay flowers for late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Solovetsky Stone, a monument to political repression, near the headquarters of Russia's Federal Security Services, in Moscow on February 20, 2024. (AFP/Natalia Kolesnikova)

At least 4 journalists briefly detained in Russia over memorials to Navalny 

New York, February 21, 2024—Russian authorities should refrain from detaining journalists who cover gatherings in memory of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and let members of the press report freely on events of public interest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. At least four journalists were briefly detained last Friday and Saturday while reporting on gatherings to…

Read More ›

Russia bans Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as ‘undesirable’

New York, February 21, 2024—Russian authorities must stop harassing U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and cease obstructing the work of media outlets by labeling them as “undesirable,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Justice added RFE/RL to its register of “undesirable” organizations after the Russian general…

Read More ›

Russia bans freedom of expression group Article 19 as ‘undesirable’

New York, February 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Russian authorities to reconsider designating international freedom of expression group Article 19 as “undesirable” and cease using the country’s “undesirable” law to intimidate organizations that report on press freedom violations in the country. On January 23, the Russian general prosecutor’s office outlawed Article 19 by…

Read More ›

Moscow police detain around 20 journalists during protest by soldiers’ wives

New York, February 7, 2024—Russian authorities must refrain from detaining journalists in the course of their work and allow the media to report freely on protests criticizing the war in Ukraine, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Around 20 journalists were arrested and briefly detained in the Russian capital of Moscow on February 3…

Read More ›

Russian journalist Denis Kamalyagin

Exiled Russian journalist Denis Kamalyagin charged with violating foreign agent law

New York, February 6, 2024—Russian authorities must immediately drop all charges against journalist Denis Kamalyagin and stop harassing exiled members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Kamalyagin, editor-in-chief of the exiled Russian newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya, was charged in December with failing to comply with the country’s foreign agent law, according to…

Read More ›

Russia extends detention of U.S.-Russia journalist Alsu Kurmasheva; CPJ calls for release

New York, February 1, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned a Russian court’s decision on Thursday to extend the pretrial detention of U.S.-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva until April 5, and called for her immediate release. “By extending the pretrial detention of journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who has been held for over 100 days on ludicrous criminal…

Read More ›

CPJ condemns Russia’s detention extension for US journalist Evan Gershkovich

New York, January 26, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists again calls on Russia to release U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich following a court decision on Friday to extend his pretrial detention until March 30, 2024. “This umpteenth extension of Evan Gershkovich’s detention will bring to one year the time he will have spent behind bars simply…

Read More ›