JFJ Weekly Sentine

 

JFJ Weekly Sentinel aims to get you up to date with the latest attacks on media freedom in the Former Soviet Union countries. More detailed information about incidents is published on the JFJ's Media Risk Map.  Photo: Archive of Farida Kurbangaleeva Russia holds the shameful leadership this week with a number of attacks against media workers and outlets:  Farida Kurbangaleyeva, a TV anchor who emigrated to the Czech Republic after Russia occupied Crimea in 2014, now faces extradition to Russia, following her labelling as a terrorist, extremist, and foreign agent. Her parents’ Kazan flat was searched, and her parents were questioned by investigators. Sergey Kustov, Ivanovo News and Barsa TV’s editor-in-chief was fined 100’000 roubles (~USD 1000) for defamation of the Russian army. Konstantin Gabov, Reuters journalist kept in pretrial detention since April 2024 for cooperation with Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, is being denied a vital medicine that he requires daily. He is kept in an overcrowded cell with no place to sleep and his letters are intercepted by censorship.  Magomed Tariev, an Ingush journalist, who was earlier labelled as a foreign agent and extremist, is now wanted by the police. The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the right for free speech was violated in the cases of 192 media workers and two media outlets (TV Rain and Novaya Gazeta) who were prosecuted under the criminal code articles on fakes and defamation of the Russian army. Three more media workers were labelled as foreign agents: Sergey Auslender, Alexey Kungurov and Nikita Parmenov. Photo: Turan News Agency In Azerbaijan, the situation is getting grimmer: Azerbaijan's independent news agency, Turan, has suspended its activities after 35 years due to financial constraints. Journalist Nargiz Abaslamova, held in Baku's Detention Center No. 1, was subjected to violence by a guard Aygul Babaeva, who used brutal and unnecessary force against the inmate. Some unexpected positive news from Belarus this week included the release of three individuals from prison, including journalist Andrei Kuznechyk, who had been sentenced to six years. However, other journalists continue to suffer from the regime’s  illegal and evil actions: Aleh Supruniuk, Brest journalist, previously charged with “distribution of extremist materials”, has gone incommunicado since January 22 and his friends are unaware of his whereabouts. Igor Shkatav, administrator of Glubokoe public, was sentenced to two years for disturbing public order. Consequences of the Russian strike on the office of UATV and FREEDOM, Photo: uatv.ua In Georgia, the protests continue demanding the release of a veteran journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli. Police continue to arrest and fine journalists who are covering the protests: Journalists Gela Mtivlishvili, Khvicha Vashakmadze, Eka Kukhalashvili along with six others, were fined GEL 5,000 (USD 1,790) each by the Kutaisi City Court. They were charged under Article 174 of the Criminal Code, which addresses violations of assembly rules. Moldova makes an entrance to this week’s Sentinel with a case of intimidation of a journalist attempting to cover the trial. CU SENS journalist Malvina Cojocari was assaulted and intimidated by several supporters of Evghenia Guțul, the president of UTA Găgăuzia, who had gathered to protest outside the Buiucani headquarters of the Chisinau Court during a session of the "Guțul Case."  In Kyiv, Ukraine, as a result of a Russian missile strike on 12 February, the offices of the Ukrainian national TV channels FreeDom and Dim were damaged.  The newsrooms of the Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR, the international digital platforms UATV English, The Gaze, UATV Español, and UATVArabic, which are located in the same building, were also damaged. Copyright © 2025 Justice for Journalists, All rights reserved. Justice for Journalists Foundation is a London-based charity (Registered Charity Number 1201812) whose mission is to fight impunity for attacks against media. Justice for Journalists Foundation monitors attacks against media workers and funds investigations worldwide into violence and abuse against professional and citizen journalists. Justice for Journalists Foundation organises media security training and creates educational materials to raise awareness about the dangers to media freedom and methods of protection from them. Our mailing address is: info@jfj.fund Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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