Second RFE/RL journalist released in one week
Plus, top media freedom headlines from around the world
Hello, and welcome to The Press Freedom Report.
I’m Liam Scott, and I have the latest on RFE/RL, plus top media freedom headlines from around the world.
Second RFE/RL journalist released in one week
RFE/RL contributor Vladyslav Yesypenko was recently released from prison in Russian-occupied Crimea after more than four years in prison on suspicion of collecting information for Ukrainian intelligence.
Yesypenko’s release was reported on June 22, but he was actually released two days earlier. The information was not made public for safety reasons.
“For more than four years, Vlad was arbitrarily punished for a crime he did not commit. He paid too high of a price for reporting the truth about what was taking place inside Russia-occupied Crimea,” RFE/RL President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Capus said in a statement.
“For that, he was tortured, physically and psychologically. While we celebrate his joyous reunion with his wife Kateryna, and their young daughter Stefania, we cannot overlook this family’s pain at the hands of Russian authorities,” Capus continued.
Wednesday, meanwhile, marks five years since RFE/RL journalist Ihar Losik was arrested in Belarus on charges his employer has rejected as politically motivated.
The journalist was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2021 for “organizing mass riots, taking part in mass disorder, inciting social hatred.”
Press Freedom News Wrap
United States
At committee hearing, Kari Lake defends dismantling VOA (Washington Post)
CBS Calls Donald Trump’s ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit A “Meritless” Attempt To “Evade Bedrock First Amendment Principles” In Latest Filing (Deadline)
As U.S. Dismantles Voice of America, Rival Powers Hope to Fill the Void (NYT)
Africa
Zambia: New bill could jail journalists who work without a license for up to five year (CPJ)
Asia
Hong Kong: RSF and exiled Hong Kong journalists release a special edition of the iconic newspaper shut down by Beijing (RSF)
Europe
Azerbaijan: EU says imprisonment of Azerbaijan’s Abzas Media team a ‘worrying development’ (OC Media)
Bosnia: “Foreign Agent” Law in Bosnia Threatens Independent Media (The Fix)
Georgia: Georgian Dream to enact new restrictions on freedom of speech (OC Media)
Switzerland: Police raid journalist’s home under draconian banking secrecy law (IPI)
Latin America
How Trump's immigration policies are affecting Latin American journalists inside and outside the United States (LatAm Journalism Review)
Peru: Journalist survives shooting attack at home after receiving threats (IFJ)
Middle East
Israel: Karhi, Ben-Gvir spar with AG over international media live footage ban (Jerusalem Post)
Israel censors foreign press coverage of Iranian strike sites (CPJ)
Turkey: Turkish court arrests prominent journalist for allegedly threatening Erdogan, NTV reports (Reuters, CPJ)
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back on Sunday.
Best,
Liam