Apple removes US-funded news app from its Russia store
Berlin, October 24, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Apple Inc. to reinstate two mobile apps belonging to the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which were removed from the Russian App Store at the request of state media regulator Roskomnadzor. “Apple’s actions restrict access to vital information and embolden authoritarian regimes seeking…
CPJ, partners demand justice for Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine media and civil society organizations, including five members of the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium in a letter welcoming the opening of an investigation into the killing of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina, whose death in Russian custody was confirmed to her father by authorities and multiple reports. The signatories urged Russian authorities to make the circumstances…
Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina dies during Russia prisoner exchange
New York, October 10, 2024 — Russian authorities must immediately disclose the circumstances surrounding the death in Russian captivity of 27-year-old Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. “CPJ is shocked by the news of Viktoria Roshchina’s death during her unlawful imprisonment by Russia. We extend our deep condolences to her…
Italian journalists Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini arrested in absentia over Russia war report
Berlin, October 8, 2024—Russian authorities should immediately cancel the arrest warrants issued in absentia for Italian journalists Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini, charged with illegal border crossing following their August 14 report on the Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. “The arrest warrants for Stefania Battistini and Simone Traini are a clear attempt to intimidate and…
CPJ urges Russia to drop charges against journalists accused of ‘illegal’ border crossing
Berlin, October 3, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Russian authorities to stop harassing international reporters after the Federal Security Service (FSB) filed criminal charges against three journalists on September 27 for allegedly crossing the Russian border illegally from Ukraine. The criminal cases have been initiated against Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Europe correspondent Kathryn…
Russia fines 11 journalists, restricts 2 outlets with anti-state laws
Berlin, September 20, 2024—Russian authorities have deployed laws penalizing “foreign agents,” “undesirable” organizations, and those who “discredit” the army to issue fines against 11 journalists, at least five of whom live in exile, and to retaliate against two media outlets in the last two months. The latest figures show that Russia’s crackdown has continued apace…
CPJ concerned by Russia’s arrest in absentia of exiled journalist
Berlin, September 19, 2024—The Basmanny District Court in Moscow issued an arrest warrant in absentia for journalist Armen Aramyan on Wednesday, September 18, on charges of justifying terrorism online and spreading false information about the Russian army in unspecified publications. Aramyan, the co-founder of the student publication DOXA, is currently in exile alongside three DOXA…
Crimean journalist faces continued harassment in jail, rights group, attorney say
Berlin, September 13, 2024—Ahead of Crimean journalist Remzi Bekirov’s next expected hearing on October 2, CPJ expressed concern at reports that Russian prison authorities are harassing him with strict scrutiny and placements in solitary confinement. Bekirov, who is an ethnic Crimean Tatar from Ukraine’s Russian-occupied region of Crimea, was a correspondent for independent Russian news…
Russia labels exiled journalist Galina Timchenko a ‘foreign agent’
New York, September 3, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces the Russian Ministry of Justice’s latest bid to intimidate the press by adding Galina Timchenko, exiled co-founder of the independent news site Meduza, to its list of so-called “foreign agents.” The ministry accused Timchenko — winner of CPJ’s 2022 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award —…
CPJ joins call urging Apple to reinstate VPNs in Russia after removals
The Committee to Protect Journalist joined 25 civil society, human rights, press freedom and tech organizations, VPN companies as well as over a dozen journalists and activists, in a September 2, 2024, open letter calling for Apple not to comply with requests and orders to remove Virtual Private Network (VPN) apps from its App Store…