Russian court in Crimea sentences citizen journalist Iryna Danylovych On 28 December 2022, a Russian court in occupied Crimea sentenced citizen journalist Iryna Danylovych to 7 years of prison for allegedly acquiring or keeping explosive items, a charge which Danylovych fully refutes and links to her work as an activist and citizen journalist. Danylovych was also fined the equivalent of 650 euros. The Ukrainian […] Read more »
Italy: New government must improve legal framework for media freedom December 22, 2022 On 23 October 2022, the new Italian government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was appointed following the parliamentary elections in September, made up a far-right coalition formed by the League (Lega), Forward Italy (Forza Italia), and the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli D’Italia). The International Press Institute (IPI) today joins ARTICLE 19 Europe and members […] Read more »
12 European newsrooms selected to join Thomson Media Deep-Dive Business Consultancy December 20, 2022 Twelve media newsrooms from Europe have been selected for an in-depth business support, following a transparent and multi-staged evaluation process. The call was targeted towards mid-sized, regional or local media and niche outlets, with a clearly identified problem they are willing to solve. Selected media will receive customised mentoring and grant support as part of […] Read more »
Analysis European Journalism Now: Prague Conference Wrap-up December 14, 2022 The International Press Institute (IPI), together with our Czech National Committee and Endowment Fund for Independent Journalism (NFNZ), held a joint two-day European Journalism Now conference in Prague on December 1–2, focusing on how to evaluate quality journalism, media capture in Central and Eastern Europe, and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The first day, […] Read more »
IPI joins call for Somali authorities to drop charges against journalist Abdalle Ahmed Mumin December 13, 2022 IPI on Monday joined six other international organisations in a letter calling on Somali authorities to drop the criminal charges filed against Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, a journalist and the Secretary General of the Somalia Journalist Syndicate. Mumin was first arrested on October 11 at the Mogadishu airport while attempting to travel to Nairobi. His arrest […] Read more »
Russian journalist detained, found guilty of publishing “extremist” materials On 9 December 2022, RFE/RL reported that Olga Belova, an independent journalist, was detained by authorities along with at least two human rights activists in Samara Oblast. Following her detention, Belova was found guilty of violating article 20.29 of the Russian code of administrative offences by publishing “extremist” materials. It was not clear which materials […] Read more »
Guatemala: IPI reiterates call for release of journalist José Rubén Zamora December 7, 2022 The IPI global press freedom network reiterated its call on Guatemala to immediately release IPI World Press Freedom José Rubén Zamora, who has been jailed since July on money-laundering charges that are widely considered politically motivated. Zamora faces a next hearing in the case on December 8. Zamora, the president and founder of the independent […] Read more »
IPI Dec. 10 Campaign in Turkey: If there is no press freedom, there is no democracy December 5, 2022 The International Press Institute (IPI) and IPI’s Turkey National Committee mark Human Rights Day on December 10 with an annual campaign in Turkey highlighting the stifled media environment and continued attacks on press freedom. Spotlight: IPI’s Turkey newsletter Receive breaking news, track the state of press and media freedom, access detailed factsheets on ongoing challenges, […] Read more »
Ethiopia: Internet shutdowns in Tigray persist as Ethiopia hosts UN internet meeting December 2, 2022 As a U.N. meeting on internet freedom convenes this week in Ethiopia, the IPI global network urges Ethiopian authorities to immediately restore internet and telecommunications services to more than six million people in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, which has been deprived of these critical communications services since the outbreak of the conflict in this region […] Read more »
IPI Dec. 10 Campaign in Turkey: If there is no press freedom, there is no democracy December 1, 2022 The International Press Institute (IPI) and IPI’s Turkey National Committee mark Human Rights Day on December 10 with an annual campaign in Turkey highlighting the stifled media environment and continued attacks on press freedom. This year, IPI collaborated with two of Turkey’s last remaining critical satire magazines, LeMan and Bayan Yanı, to create cover pages […] Read more »
Daily Star | Choking the lifeblood of democracy December 1, 2022 Pinaki Roy and Wasim Habib, Daily Star This article is published in collaboration with the Daily Star in Bangladesh, as part of a content series supported by the IPI South Asia cross-border journalism project, which aims to support press freedom and promote the safety of journalists in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Nepal. [separator style_type=”single” top_margin=”20px” bottom_margin=”20px” sep_color=”#c4c4c4″ border_size=”1px” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””] […] Read more »
Portugal: Press freedom remains robust even as media face resource strains December 1, 2022 By IPI contributor Cláudia Marques Santos Press freedom remains strong in Portugal. The country is democratically stable and the risks of government interference in the media are low. Both the constitution and the national Press Law safeguard journalists in their daily reporting. But there are some areas of concern: journalists’ deteriorating work conditions and precarity, as well as significant concentration of media […] Read more »
IPI condemns Russia’s sentencing of three Crimean Tatar citizen journalists November 30, 2022 The IPI global network condemns Russia’s sentencing last week of three Crimean Tatar citizen journalists to 14 years in prison. IPI calls on the Russian authorities to release Osman Arifmemetov, Ruslan Suleymanov, and Rustem Sheykhaliyev. On November 24, Crimean Tatar citizen journalists Arifmemetov, Suleymanov and Sheykhaliyev were sentenced to 14 years of prison, plus an […] Read more »
Film screening: “The Killing of a Journalist” at This Human World 2022 (Vienna, Dec. 8) On February 21, 2018, Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, archeologist Martina Kušnírová, were brutally murdered in their home. As a journalist working for the online news site Aktuality.sk, Kuciak had uncovered allegations of tax fraud and financial crime implicating prominent business and political leaders in Slovakia. The double murder sparked the largest protests in Slovakia […] Read more »
Interview: Europe’s draft media freedom law: Strengths and weaknesses November 29, 2022 (Text below produced by Whitehouse Communications) In mid-September 2022, the European Commission unveiled its draft proposal for the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), a flagship new legislative initiative intended to protect media pluralism and independence in the European Union. According to the Commission, the EMFA seeks to respond to growing concerns over malign foreign influence, […] Read more »
Italy: PM Meloni urged to drop defamation lawsuit against newspaper Domani November 25, 2022 The International Press Institute (IPI) today joins the undersigned organisations in calling for the filed against the newspaper Domani by Italy’s new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to be dropped and for the Italian Parliament to adopt a comprehensive reform of the country’s defamation laws. We note with concern that this is not the first time […] Read more »
Burundi: Authorities must release journalist Floriane Irangabiye November 22, 2022 The IPI global network for press freedom condemns the arrest and continued detention of journalist Floriane Irangabiye in Burundi. Irangabiye, a Burundian national based in Rwanda, was arrested by Burundi intelligence personnel in the capital Bujumbura on August 30. She was in the country to attend the funeral of one of her parents at the […] Read more »
Isam Abdullah, Syria On November 20, 2022, journalist for the Syria-based Hawar News Agency (ANHA), Isam Abdullah, was killed in strikes on the Dêrik (Al Malikiyah) town in al Hasakah, in the northeastern corner of Syria. The journalist was among a total of nine people killed in the town by two airstrikes carried out by Türkiye in response […] Read more »
Italy: IPI joins call to support Roberto Saviano in a defamation trial November 16, 2022 The International Press Institute (IPI) today joins the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE), with the support of the coalition’s Italian group and its partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in expressing solidarity with Roberto Saviano who attended the first hearing in the proceedings for aggravated defamation initiated against him by current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. […] Read more »
The News Minute | How the State and social media witch-hunt women journalists in India November 16, 2022 Megha Kaveri, The News Minute IPI’s media partners in the South Asia Cross-border journalism project in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal document press freedom violations in their countries. [separator style_type=”single” top_margin=”20px” bottom_margin=”20px” sep_color=”#c4c4c4″ border_size=”1px” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””] On October 3, 2022, the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, became a […] Read more »
IPI Vacancy: Africa Programme: Advocacy and Partnerships Lead The IPI Weekly Digest & IPI Distribution List Subscribe for all IPI press freedom news and updates, opportunities for journalists, and the latest in media innovation. Join us! Africa Programme: Advocacy and Partnerships Lead Location: Remote or IPI Secretariat (Vienna) Deadline for applications: 15 December. However, applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible […] Read more »
Crackdown on Iranian journalists continues amid anti-government protests November 9, 2022 By IPI contributor Anna Valentinyi The IPI global network is deeply alarmed by the arrests of at least 60 Iranian journalists and increasing internet restrictions amid nationwide protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in September. Authorities must immediately release all detained journalists in Iran and must cease blocking access to vital information and communications platforms. The Iranian government […] Read more »
IJ4EU fund awards €450,000 to 13 investigative projects in Europe November 8, 2022 An independent jury has awarded a combined €450,000 to 13 cross-border reporting teams under the latest call for applications to the flagship grant scheme of IPI’s IJ4EU fund. The Investigation Support Scheme grants will allow journalists based in the European Union, EU candidate countries and beyond to collaborate on topics ranging from surveillance, security and […] Read more »
Russian police in Crimea send warning letter to local independent journalist On 2 November 2022, Crimean Tatar journalist Zidan Adzhikelyamov informed he had received a warning letter from local police in Sovyetskiy, a town in Eastern Crimea. Adzhikelyamov said police were accusing him of “organizing mass riots”, “public appeals to engage in extremism” and of “public appeals to actions aiming to violate the territorial integrity of […] Read more »
Public Event: Protect Journalists. Protect Democracy (Vienna, Nov. 2, 2022) Journalists uncover truth and hold the powerful to account. They bring us critical news and information that makes our societies safer and our democracies stronger. But their work comes at great risk. Journalism today is one of the world’s most dangerous professions. More than 900 journalists and media workers have been killed in the past […] Read more »
IPI joins Anti-SLAPP Declaration and Call To Action October 27, 2022 Following the first European Anti-SLAPP Conference, the International Press Institute (IPI) joins its partners in the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) in calling on governments across Europe to take immediate legislative and practical action to protect journalists and other public watchdogs from the growing threat of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). SLAPPs are […] Read more »
Daily Star | Free speech the collateral damage of Covid in Bangladesh October 22, 2022 Pinaki Roy and Wasim Habib, Daily Star IPI’s media partners in the South Asia Cross-border journalism project in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal document press freedom violations in their countries. [separator style_type=”single” top_margin=”20px” bottom_margin=”20px” sep_color=”#c4c4c4″ border_size=”1px” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””] When Covid-19 began to spread at an exponential rate across countries in January 2020, ministers and government officials in […] Read more »
IPI leads international mission to Turkey, Oct. 12 – 14, 2022 October 12, 2022 A coalition of international journalism, press freedom and human rights groups will carry out a three-day mission to Turkey this week to investigate serious, continued threats to independent journalism in the country. Spotlight: IPI’s Turkey newsletter Receive breaking news, track the state of press and media freedom, access detailed factsheets on ongoing challenges, and discover […] Read more »
Mexico: New cases of Pegasus surveillance detected October 10, 2022 By IPI Contributor Mauritza Klingspor The IPI global network is alarmed by new revelations that journalists and activists in Mexico have been targeted by Pegasus, spyware developed by the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group. We call on Mexican authorities to conduct a full and transparent investigation into the use of this surveillance technology to snoop on the press and other […] Read more »
Afghanistan: Two independent media outlets suspended October 8, 2022 By IPI Contributor Anna Valentinyi The IPI global network is deeply concerned by the increasing attacks on media freedom in Afghanistan following the suspension of two online media outlets, Hasht-e Subh Daily and Zawia News by the Taliban. IPI calls on the Taliban to stop censoring the media and allow Hasht-e Subh Daily and Zawia News to operate under their domain names. On Monday, […] Read more »
Ukrainian journalist held in Crimea sentenced to 13 years on espionage charges On 6 October 2023, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) reported that Ukrainian journalist Serhiy Tsyhipa had been sentenced to 13 years in prison on espionage charges, by a court in Russian-occupied Crimea. NUJU expressed its solidarity with the imprisoned journalist. The union also quoted Tsyhipa’s wife Olena, who said that the prison […] Read more »
Spain: Ensuring justice for women journalists targeted by online harassment October 5, 2022 Online harassment hinders the ability of women journalists to carry out their journalistic activities, affects personal lives, and threatens their safety. Women journalists regularly encounter lack of support in their cases, and are advised to limit social media presence or worse – to get used to the attacks as being a part of their job. […] Read more »
RusNews journalist Andrey Kichev expelled from college and handed mobilization order On 26 September 2022, Russian online media RusNews said Andrey Kichev, a journalist for the portal in Arkhangelsk, had received a mobilization order and was expelled from college. This information was confirmed by Russian human rights activist Ilya Leshukov. The IPI Weekly Digest & IPI Distribution List Subscribe for all IPI press freedom news and […] Read more »
