Mmf-Q1-Q2-2017-Repor

MAPPING MEDIA FREEDOM Q1 / Q2 2017 MMF Q1 / Q2 REPORT 2017 ABOUT THIS REPORT

This is a comprehensive study of threats, on the interactive map. The platform—a joint Q1 2017 violations and limitations to media freedom undertaking with the European Federation throughout Europe as submitted to Index of Journalists, partially funded by the on Censorship’s Mapping Media Freedom European Commission—covers 42 countries, REPORT platform. It is made up of two reports, one including all EU member states, plus Albania, focusing on Q1 2017 and the other on Q2 Belarus, Bosnia, Iceland, Kosovo, Macedonia, 2017. Montenegro, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. In September 2015, In all, from 1 January until 30 June, a total of the platform expanded to monitor Russia, An overall report on data of 571 verified incidents were recorded. Three Ukraine and Belarus and in February 2016, it journalists were murdered in Russia; 155 included Azerbaijan. Since launching in May reported to the platform media workers were detained or arrested on 2014, the map has recorded more than 3,400 charges; 78 accounts of assault were verified; violations of media freedom, with 1,393 from 1 January through 188 incidents of intimidation, which includes reports documented last year alone. psychological abuse, sexual harassment, 31 March 2017. trolling/cyberbullying and defamation, were INDEX ON CENSORSHIP is a UK-based nonprofit documented; 91 criminal charges and civil that campaigns against censorship and lawsuits were filed; journalists and media promotes freedom of expression worldwide. outlets were blocked 91 times; 55 legal measures Founded in 1972, Index has published some were passed that curtail press freedom; and 43 of the world’s leading writers and artists pieces were censored or altered. in its award-winning quarterly magazine, including Nadine Gordimer, Mario Vargas Each report is submitted to MMF by a Llosa, Samuel Beckett and Kurt Vonnegut. network of correspondents and other Index promotes debate, monitors threats to journalists. Reports are then fact-checked free speech and supports individuals through with local sources before becoming available its annual awards and fellowship programme.

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ournalists continue to face unprecedented and blocked by nervous politicians who were pressure in Europe as reports submitted seeing, particularly in France, the old political J to Index on Censorship’s Mapping Media certainties swept away. “JOURNALISTS ARE Freedom platform in the first quarter of 2017 demonstrate. Media professionals—primarily Between 1 January and 31 March 2017, in Turkey, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine— Mapping Media Freedom’s network of BEING TARGETED BY were arrested at an alarming rate, more than correspondents and other journalists submitted a fourfold increase over the fourth quarter of a total of 299 violations of press freedom to 2016. the database. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, “During the first quarter of 2017, the MMF Throughout the first three months of 2017: database registered several trends that we find one journalist was murdered; 42 incidents of to be acute challenges to media freedom. Some physical assault were confirmed; and there CONFRONTING European governments have clearly interfered were 89 verified reports of intimidation, which with media pluralism. Others have harassed, includes psychological abuse, sexual harassment, detained and intimidated journalists. All of trolling/cyberbullying and defamation. Media POLARISED POLITICAL these actions debase and devalue the work of professionals were detained in 69 incidents; 38 the press and undermine a basic foundation criminal charges and civil lawsuits were filed; of democracy,” Hannah Machlin, project and journalists were blocked from covering a manager at Mapping Media Freedom, said. story in 54 verified incidents. ENVIRONMENTS AND

During Q1, authorities in multiple countries “The spike in arrests and detainments during this shut down critical and independent media period caused by the persecution of journalists BEING UNDERMINED outlets and intimidated reporters who asked in Turkey and Belarus is particularly worrying,” challenging questions. Turkey continues to Melody Patry, head of advocacy at Index be the largest jailer of journalists in the world on Censorship, said. “Journalists are being with a total of 148 journalists in prison by targeted by government officials, confronting BY PROPAGANDA AND the end of March according the Platform for polarised political environments and being Independent Journalists P24, a Turkey-based undermined by propaganda and accusations of MMF partner, which monitors the number of fake news.” ACCUSATIONS OF arrests in the country. Even reporters in countries often thought to FAKE NEWS.” respect freedom of the press, such as Sweden, France and Germany, faced obstacles to performing their professional duties. They MELODY PATRY, were abused by the leaders of extreme Head of Advocacy, populist movements and their supporters, who Index on Censorship encouraged a distrust of “mainstream media”;

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42 INCIDENTS OF

PHYSICAL ASSAULT WERE

ONE JOURNALIST, YEVGENY KHAMAGANOV, CONFIRMED IN Q1 2017. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF ASIA-RUSSIA DAILY

AND THE SITE OF THE BURYAT PEOPLE,

WAS KILLED DURING Q1 2017. PHYSICAL ASSAULTS AND INJURY There were 42 incidents of physical assault It continues to be physically dangerous to be a on journalists who were pursuing their journalist in Belarus, where in March a Belsat professional duties in Q1. In Russia, there cameraperson and TV journalist were dragged were seven reported incidents in which media out of their car by traffic police as they drove professionals were assaulted. In St Petersburg, to a protest. Both were severely beaten and the 73-year-old founder of Novyi Petersburg, their equipment was damaged. In France, three DEATHS Nikolay Andruschenko, was beaten on journalists were targeted by the police and One Russian journalist was killed in the two separate occasions resulting in brain protesters while covering demonstrations that first quarter of 2017. In March, Yevgeny damage. The assaults took place in March turned violent. Khamaganov, editor-in-chief of Asia-Russia and Andruschenko died in April. He was Daily and The Site of the Buryat People, died investigating corruption, abuse of power and In Italy, there were seven cases of journalists under unexplained circumstances. The editor torture by St Petersburg police. being physically assaulted during Q1. There lived in the Siberian republic of Buryatia and were five assaults on journalists investigating had been back in its capital Ulan-Ude for only In Azerbaijan, blogger and human rights corruption in the Naples area. In one instance two weeks when he was, according to friends, activist Mehman Huseynov was detained and in March, a reporter was beaten and needed violently assaulted by unknown assailants. tortured by police before being fined 105 euros emergency care. Two Italian journalists were Khamaganov, who was known for articles for “disobeying police”. Huseynov frequently also hurt during demonstrations: one in Rome, critical of the Russian federal government’s posts videos exposing corruption and criticising who was recording a protest by taxi drivers, and policies, had left Ulan-Ude for his native village the lavish lifestyles of Azerbaijani government the other in the southern town of Melendugno in 2015, after a previous assault in which his officials. He was later sentenced to two years near Lecce, who was covering the construction neck was broken. in prison on defamation charges. of micro-tunnels for the Trans Adriatic pipeline.

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ARREST / DETENTION There were 171 journalists arrested or detained also arrested by security services for covering in the 42 nations MMF monitors in the first gay culture in Svetogorsk, a city where the three months of 2017, more than four times mayor said homosexuality did not exist. as many than the previous quarter. Belarus was the country with the highest number of Many arrests continued to take place in Turkey, journalists detained in Q1, with 96 media where there were a total of 29 journalists and workers including TV journalists, video publishers detained during Q1. Some were IN Q1 2017, 171 MEDIA bloggers, reporters and radio journalists held held for their Kurdish connections, others by police. All, bar one, for standing in solidarity were detained in March with colleagues, and 2017 while trying to cover “The spike in arrests still others for just doing PROFESSIONALS WERE mass demonstrations in and detainments their job. Journalists for the country’s cities against foreign newspapers were during this period a tax on the unemployed. also targeted. Aylina Kılıç, Many were from the caused by the who reports on Turkish/ ARRESTED OR DETAINED independent TV company persecution of Kurdish relations and lives Belsat. The biggest mass in London, was taken into arrest came on 25 March, journalists in Turkey custody in January while IN EUROPE AND RUSSIA, when 30 journalists, and Belarus is entering Turkey at the including a handful of particularly worrying.” Sabiha Gökçen Airport foreign correspondents, in Istanbul. She was later were detained in Minsk MELODY PATRY, released. The following while attempting to month, a reporter for MORE THAN FOUR TIMES Head of Advocacy, cover Freedom Day German newspaper Die Index on Censorship demonstrations. Eleven Welt was also detained others were held on the and remains in custody. By AS MANY AS IN Q4 2016. same day across the country. Meanwhile, at early March 2017, there were 148 journalists least 19 journalists in Russia were held on in prison in Turkey. In France there were two 26 March for reporting on anti-corruption incidents of journalists being detained while protests. A total of 11 others were held trying to tell the story of migrants: one in in March, most of whom were covering Menton, on the border with Italy in January; demonstrations, including a feminist protest and the other in February when a journalist marking International Women’s Day in following an NGO worker was detained while Moscow. A reporter and photographer were she was in a van carrying migrant children.

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INTIMIDATION Intimidation, including trolling/cyberbullying, psychological abuse, sexual harassment, defamation and discrediting, was widespread across Europe with 89 incidents this quarter. 89 REPORTS OF Particularly striking are those countries which have prviously had good records on press freedom. France, for instance, had INTIMIDATION, six cases which were primarily related to the French presidential election campaign WHICH INCLUDES with supporters and politicians intimidating journalists. Sweden also had seven incidents with far-right groups targeting journalists and PSYCHOLOGICAL media organisations. One journalist received death threats and threats of sexual violence “During the first quarter of 2016, after questioning a far-right blogger’s claims ABUSE, SEXUAL about the extent of violent crime committed by the MMF database registered immigrants. Macedonia has also seen a spike several trends that we find to HARASSMENT, in threats against journalists in this quarter. be acute challenges to media The president of the Association of Journalists TROLLING, of Macedonia (ZNM), Naser Selmani, said freedom. Some European that public officials, including representatives governments have clearly of state institutions, participated in these CYBERBULLYING, coordinated attacks: “It is sad that violence interfered with media pluralism. against journalists is coordinated by parties. Others have harassed, detained These attacks have increased during a period DEFAMATION AND when the political crisis in Macedonia has and intimidated journalists. escalated. The violence against journalists All of these actions debase DISCREDITING, is connected with recent heated political confrontations in Macedonia.” In Ukraine, a and devalue the work of the WERE RECORDED public website leaked the travel routes and car press and undermine a basic number plates of a large number of foreign correspondents reporting in the “anti-terrorist foundation of democracy.” IN Q1 2017. operation zone” (ATO). In Bosnia, a journalist was threatened by the brother of the head of HANNAH MACHLIN, the social services department in Banja Luka Project Manager, for investigating illegal adoptions. Mapping Media Freedom

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35 LEGAL MEASURES WERE TAKEN THERE WERE 54 INSTANCES OF AGAINST JOURNALISTS IN Q1 2017. BLOCKED ACCESS IN Q1 2017.

LEGAL MEASURES BLOCKED ACCESS Legislative measures and court decisions funding Echo of Moscow radio station. In There were 54 cases of blocked access across Freedom, also denied Germany’s leading continued to curb media freedom. Russia Ukraine, there were four cases of legal Europe in this quarter, many of which were media organisations accreditation for their used legal measures the most frequently in measures which successfully shut down two associated with more serious violations against conference in Koblenz. The ENF was formed Q1, with 10 out of the 35 cases reported independent Russian-language TV stations. journalists, including some documented above. as an alliance at the European Parliament in to MMF occurring in Moscow. The most In January, Dozhd TV was prevented from Populist parties on the right and left across summer 2015, and the French nationalist party, egregious case took place in February when broadcasting in the country and the Hunting Europe continued to ban journalists from Front National, represents its largest group in the Russian government stripped Demyan and Fishing Channel, Ohota i Rybalka, was attending their events. In the Netherlands, terms of members. Kudryavtsev, the owner of two independent closed in February. The Ukrainian authorities Denk, the new pro-immigrant party banned newspapers, of his Russian citizenship to also did not renew the licence of one of the two journalists from attending a campaign prevent him from owning media outlets country’s most popular radio stations, Vesti event, one journalist because she had asked Vedmosti and the Moscow Times. Other radio (see case study below). In March, legal a critical question earlier in the day, and Russian cases in the period also involved measures were introduced to stop reporters the other because she had questioned the attempts to close or curtail the activities from covering the troops and security services endorsement of the party by a controversial of television and radio channels by forcing deployed against Russian-backed separatists Imam. The far-right alliance of European an American company to withdraw from in eastern Ukraine. populist parties, Europe of Nations and

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CRIMINAL CHARGES / CIVIL LAWSUITS LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT Belarus is the European country most likely At least 114 media professionals lost their jobs to try to criminally prosecute journalists and across Europe due to political decisions during accounted for 11 out of the 48 cases in Q1. the first quarter of 2017. Some 100 staff at the Almost all of the detained Belarusian journalists Vesti radio station were left unemployed after were prosecuted for covering protests around the Ukrainian authorities refused to renew Freedom Day on 25 March. In Malta, a their licence. Meanwhile, in eastern Russia, property developer filed 19 libel cases against a the head of the Information Policy Department journalist who had reported that the developer in Omsk dismissed the editors-in-chief of five was cutting a deal with the government to state-funded district newspapers because of build a hotel and two tower blocks on a large their critical and independent stance towards and valuable tract of public land. The previous the regional government. In Turkey, the month, the same journalist had her assets satirical magazine Girgir was closed down frozen through precautionary warrants filed by by its publishers after it published a cartoon the economics minister and an EU presidency which the company thought was “unpleasant”. policy officer. This took place after she claimed The Doğan media group in Turkey also fired a they had visited a brothel while on a trip to television anchor and a columnist in February Germany. Two civil libel suits were also filed because they had announced they were against her by the pair. going to vote against the amendments to the Turkish constitution. In Romania, a newspaper columnist resigned afer being told her op-eds were too critical of the newly elected social democratic government. In Poland, the host of a popular talk show, broadcast by the state- controlled Radio Merkury was terminated after a critical interview with MP Ryszard Czarnecki. In Albania, the director of TV channel ABC 48 CRIMINAL CHARGES did not have his contract renewed after the owner changed the “editorial orientation” of AND CIVIL LAWSUITS the station to be more pro-government in January. In a separate case, the director of the Albanian newspaper Mapo said his contract WERE REPORTED had not been renewed because the newspaper’s owner decided to support the government and IN Q1 2017. he refused to accept the new editorial line.

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ATTACKS TO PROPERTY PIECES OF WORK CENSORED OR ALTERED There were 28 cases of attacks to property In Q1, Mapping Media Freedom documented during Q1, with vehicles being repeatedly 24 cases where work was censored or altered. damaged. In Ukraine, cars belonging to three In Turkey, the government shut down two senior media workers were vandalised: in religious TV stations, bringing the number of February a TV channel director reported JOURNALISTS media outlets closed to 181. Meanwhile, the having his tyres slashed. He said this happened Kremlin allegedly told Russian broadcasters to because he had been too critical of local REPORTED 28 end their “fawning coverage” of US president politicians in the city of Chernivtsi. In the city Donald Trump. of Kamianske, unidentified assailants set fire to a car belonging to the editor-in-chief of two ATTACKS TO Western democracies were not immune from local news websites. The editor said he was censorship, with nervous TV bosses worried targeted because local influential people did PROPERTY IN about causing too much political or religious not like how his news sites reported on the offence. In March, two French comedians city council. Two weeks later, the editor of the did not have their sketches about France’s local newspaper in the same city had his car Q1 2017. presidential election and police violence aired set on fire too. In Italy, a journalist in Brindisi on a national TV channel because, according to also had their tyres slashed twice, allegedly the French newspaper Libération, the president because she was investigating local corruption. of the channel considered them “too violent”. And a journalist in the southern German state In Spain, public broadcaster TVE removed of Bavaria had his car windscreen shattered in footage of a drag queen—dressed as the Virgin January. He had previously received threats Mary and Christ—from its website. The video, of violence from a far-right group, the ultra- which disappeared without explanation, had nationalist NPD, for his reports on the group. been filmed during the 2017 edition of Las Palmas Drag Queen Gala.

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CASE STUDY: BELARUS CASE STUDY: SWEDEN Mass detentions of journalists took place An ongoing campaign to discredit and in three Belarusian cities during Freedom undermine journalists was uncovered by the Day marches on 25 March, according to Eskilstuna-Kuriren newspaper in Sweden in the Belorussian Association of Journalists. February 2017. Journalists at the paper reported Freedom Day is an unofficial holiday in on a project, orchestrated by an organisation Belarus, which is celebrated to commemorate called Granskning Sverige, where journalists the proclamation of the Belarusian People’s from Eskilstuna-Kuriren and other news Republic in 1918. The current regime does outlets were secretly recorded. Granskning not recognise Freedom Day and often prevents Sverige claimed that by doing so it was holding opposition forces from celebrating it. This year the media accountable. Granskning Sverige the holiday events included a protest against a reportedly pays individuals to call journalists tax on the unemployed, the so-called “parasite and then ask certain questions to get specific CASE tax”, that authorities intended to introduce. words and phrases on tape. The recordings were then heavily edited and posted online, In Minsk, 30 journalists were detained. There often via YouTube, to make it seem as if the STUDIES: were also detentions in Babruysk, Homel, journalists were partisan in their coverage. The Vitebsk, Orsha and Brest. Seven reporters, enterprise was run through the servers of Fria including one British journalist and one French Tider, a far-right Swedish language newspaper journalist, reported they had been beaten by based in Estonia, according to research by Q1 2017 the police. Many detainees were subsequently Eskilstuna-Kuriren. Granskning Sverige is still released, but others were prosecuted for active and continues to call journalists to secure disorderly conduct, using profane language, audio recordings. disobeying the police and participating in an unsanctioned mass event. Across the country there were reports of TV crews and reporters being detained and intimidated, including some who were brought to police stations and held there while the protests were taking place. Various incidents happened in the major cities of Vitebsk and Homel. One journalist was fined for disorderly conduct in Polatsk. On 26 March, 16 more journalists were arrested to prevent them from reporting on people demonstrating in solidarity with protesters who had been beaten and arrested the day before.

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CASE STUDY: UKRAINE CASE STUDY: ROMANIA One of the country’s largest and most popular The government in Romania has been local radio stations, Radio Vesti, was taken off carrying out a campaign of intimidation the air in Ukraine. The National Radio and against journalists who have been covering TV Council did not renew Radio Vesti’s license the recent protests in the capital. In an for broadcasting in the Kharkiv area on 23 alarming development, Minister of Internal February and failed to renew its licence in the Affairs Carmen-Daniela Dan issued a list of Kiev area the following month. journalists at a press conference in February whom she said promoted the recent protests Detector Media reported that representatives on social media. She named and condemned Q2 2017 of the nationalist movement Vidsich and the nine people as “public personalities, opinion Sich volunteer battalion attended the National leaders or members of political parties”, who Radio and TV Council meeting and reportedly had supported the protests. All, bar one, were demanded Vesti’s Kiev license be revoked. journalists. REPORT There were concerns expressed earlier in the process that the ultimate beneficiary of the radio ActiveWatch and the Centre for Independent station was the former Minister of Revenue and Journalism, two Romanian NGOs advocating Fees, Oleksandr Klymenko. According to the for freedom of speech, condemned the gesture of An overall report on data National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, as a the minister, saying that it showed a totalitarian result of the licences being revoked, 90% of staff way of thinking. “The list is an attempt by the reported to the platform (almost 100 employees) will lose their jobs at Ministry of Internal Affairs to intimidate and the radio station which has the largest audience to put pressure on critical voices within society, from 1 April through in Ukraine. “We support transparency of media with possible threats to their safety,” their joint ownership but the elimination of authoritative press release said. 30 June 2017. media because of disputes with the regulator is unacceptable,” said Sergiy Tomilenko, acting President of NUJU. “Today a hundred skilled journalists and media workers have lost their jobs and their right to communicate with a large national audience.”

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he crackdown on media freedom Criminal charges and civil lawsuits against throughout Europe—even within media professionals increased by 39% during Tthose countries perceived to be more the second quarter of 2017. “It is clear that democratic—continues, as demonstrated by authorities—especially in Turkey, Belarus and “IT IS CLEAR THAT reports submitted to Index on Censorship’s Russia—are using legal systems to censor Mapping Media Freedom platform in the journalists,” said Machlin. second quarter of 2017. Between 1 April and 30 June 2017, Mapping Media Freedom’s In Turkey, multiple journalists were slapped AUTHORITIES— network of correspondents and other with lengthy sentences and jailed on charges journalists submitted a total of 272 violations related to the failed July 2016 coup. of press freedom to the database, a decline of ESPECIALLY IN nearly 10 per cent on the first quarter of 2017.

“A decrease of incidents filed to the map does not indicate an improvement to press TURKEY, BELARUS freedom in Europe and the situation across the continent remains extremely concerning,” Hannah Machlin, Mapping Media Freedom AND RUSSIA— project manager, said. “The number of arrests has decreased because hundreds of journalists are sitting in jail or have fled because of their ARE USING LEGAL work. Based on the severity of the second quarter reports, inhumane treatment of media workers is actually on the rise.” SYSTEMS TO CENSOR In Q2: two journalists were killed; 36 incidents of physical assault and injury were reported; 53 criminal charges and civil lawsuits were filed; JOURNALISTS.” 99 instances of intimidation, which includes psychological abuse, sexual harassment, trolling/cyberbullying and defamation, took HANNAH MACHLIN, place; journalists were blocked from covering Project Manager, stories 54 times; 20 legal measures were passed Mapping Media Freedom that curtail press freedom; and 19 works were censored/altered by the state or editorial teams.

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PHYSICAL ASSAULTS AND INJURY Thirty-six reports of assault and injury occurred in the second quarter. Attacks were used to JOURNALISTS intimidate journalists. Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli, who was based in Georgia since 2015, was abducted, beaten and taken DMITRI POPKOV across the border to Azerbaijan, where he was detained by authorities (see case study for more detail). In Sweden, investigative crime reporter Håkan Slagbrand sustained injuries AND NIKOLAY to his face after being assaulted in his home by an unidentified man. In Russia, Pyotr Pliev, a correspondent for state newspaper Rossiskaya ANDRUSCHENKO Gazeta in North Ossetia, was hit in the head from behind. In Hungary, Julia Halasz, a journalist working for the 444.hu news site, said WERE KILLED a meeting organiser dragged her down several flights of stairs and out of a school by the arm while she was covering a Fidesz public forum. DURING Q2 2017. Violence against media workers was also widespread in the Balkans (Slovenia, Croatia, 36 INCIDENTS Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Kosovo), where 15 journalists were assaulted or injured. In Kosovo, prominent OF INJURY AND DEATHS journalist Arbana Xharra was beaten severely Two journalists were killed in the second in a parking lot close to her apartment. In quarter of 2017. Dmitri Popkov, editor-in- Macedonia two journalists, Dimitar Tanurov, a PHYSICAL ASSAULT chief and founder of local newspaper Ton-M, reporter for the online Meta news agency, and was shot five times by an unidentified Nikola Ordevski, a cameraperson with the perpetrator in the town of Minusinsk Makfax news agency, were physically assaulted WERE REPORTED in Russia. Nikolay Andruschenko, an during a protest in Skopje. In Croatia, Vedran investigative correspondent for weekly Neferovic, the mayor of the town Pozega, newspaper Novyi Petersburg, died in a local shoved Mladen Mirkovic, a journalist for local IN Q2 2017. hospital as a result of injuries on 19 April. news website 034portal.hr. “He pushed me The journalist was severely beaten twice in against the wall and smacked my head against the first quarter, which led to a brain injury. it,” Mirkovic stated.

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ARREST / DETENTION Eighty-six journalists were detained or arrested 30 days in administrative detention for allegedly during the second quarter with the majority of resisting police. Aziz Orucov, a manager of the incidents occurring in Turkey (49) and Russia online TV platform Kanal 13, was detained (21). In Turkey, journalists continued to be along with his wife Lamiya Charpanova, the detained on terror charges related to the failed editor of the channel, and then sentenced to 30 July 2016 coup, according to P24, an Istanbul- days in administrative detention. based platform for independent journalists and a partner on MMF. Twelve of the 13 journalists “Azerbaijan’s government has repeatedly 86 JOURNALISTS WERE who were released on 31 March were rearrested demonstrated its willingness to silence a few hours later on ties to the failed coup. independent voices and critical media by Turkish authorities issued using trumped-up charges arrest warrants for four to harass journalists. DETAINED OR ARRESTED media workers connected “It is clear that Index on Censorship and to secular opposition its partners have been the international outlet Sözcü. Three foreign monitoring the regime’s journalists were also community must efforts to suppress DURING THE SECOND detained in the country take concrete action journalism for years. It is including photographer clear that the international Mathias Depardon, a to ensure that community must take French national, who was the government concrete action to ensure QUARTER WITH THE reportedly kept in solitary respect press that the government confinement for 14 days respect press freedom,” and went on a hunger strike. freedom.” Hannah Machlin said. By the close of the second MAJORITY OF INCIDENTS

quarter 166 media workers HANNAH MACHLIN, Media workers were also were in prison in Turkey, Project Manager, detained in Russia, Hungary MMF partner Platform for Mapping Media Freedom and Greece. In Russia, 21 OCCURRING IN TURKEY Independent Journalists journalists were detained confirmed. and/or arrested, a majority of whom were swept up during June’s anti-corruption protests (see In Azerbaijan, independent journalists were case study). In Hungary László Szily, a journalist (49) AND RUSSIA (21). targeted by the state. Fikrat Faramazoglu, the working for news website 444.hu was taken former editor-in-chief of jam.az, a website into custody and spent several hours in a small that documents cases and arrests related to the cell until his trial began for slander. He was ministry of national security, was sentenced to taken to court in handcuffs and on a leash. In seven years in prison on charges of extortion. Greece publisher Kostas Vaxevanis was arrested He was first arrested in July 2016. Nijat following a lawsuit for libel against him filed by Amiraslanov, an independent reporter from the Lina Nikolopoulou, who is the wife of the Bank Gazakh region, was arrested and sentenced to of Greece’s governor, Yiannis Stournaras.

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CRIMINAL CHARGES / CIVIL LAWSUITS Fifty-three criminal charges and civil lawsuits takes pains to monitor and publicise the of eight times in accordance with Article 22.9 were filed against journalists in the second ongoing crisis in Turkey,” Hannah Machlin of the Code of Administrative Offences, the quarter. Severe sentences were imposed in said. illegal production and distribution of media Turkey to punish media workers accused of products, totaling to 7,267 rubles (€3,174). working to overthrow the government. An Outside of Turkey, lawsuits were filed Seven of the eight cases targeted Belsat TV, a indictment of journalists and columnists by government officials as reprisal for Poland-based media outlet. Kastus Zhukousky for the defunct Zaman daily sought three investigative reporting. In Albania, Gjin Gjoni, was fined twice in the second quarter. He was consecutive life sentences for 30 defendants a judge for a court of appeals in Tirana, filed a fined seven times on the same charges in 2016. on charges of attempting to overthrow the lawsuit against four journalists who work for The Istanbul 8th Criminal Court issued a fine government. Another indictment demanded Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and of TL 113,000 (€29,045) to the editors and FIFTY-THREE two consecutive life sentences for 13 the Shqiptarja newspaper, for their reporting journalists of a pro-Kurdish newspaper Özgür journalists including Meydan columnist Atilla on criminal investigations into his family’s Gündem, which was shut down under a cabinet CRIMINAL Taş, former Yeni Şafak writer Murat Aksoy assets. In Italy, Simone Monopoli, mayor of decree in late 2016. In Spain, two journalists and TürkSolu magazine editor Gökçe Fırat Cavan, a city in the province of Naples, filed received fines for disrespecting the police. Çulhaoğlu. The prosecution claimed that they a suit against blogger Pasquale Gallo for libel, Cristina Fallarás received a notice informing CHARGES AND were part of the “media arm” of the group for an article that accuses the mayor and a her she was fined €600 for disobeying police behind the 15 July coup attempt. Political municipal councillor of paying for votes. In officers during a protest in Madrid; Freelance CIVIL LAWSUITS commentators and brothers Ahmet Altan and Russia, the Chechen interior minister, Ruslan journalist Raúl Solis was fined€ 150 for Mehmet Altan were accused of “attempting Alkhanov, reported that the ministry will sue disrespecting a police officer during a protest to overthrow the government of Turkey” and Novaya Gazeta after the newspaper broke in Seville. WERE FILED using “subliminal messaging” to encourage the story of police detaining hundreds of the coup. Prosecutors demanded multiple life gay people in the republic. In France, the AGAINST sentences for both, who have been in pre-trial new labour minister, Muriel Pénicaud, filed detention since September 2016. Another a complaint against an unknown person for prosecutor asked for a total of 46 years in theft, breach of professional confidentiality JOURNALISTS prison for five journalists who supported the and possession of confidential information shuttered Özgür Gündem daily by standing in following the publication of an article about IN THE SECOND as an editor-in-chief for one day. the government’s labour reform project. In Italy, the prosecutor’s office in Ravenna filed “The politically motivated ‘show trials’ and suit against freelance journalist Alessandro QUARTER long sentences being aimed at journalists for Bongarzone and Nevio Ronconi, editor-in- their critical reporting underlines the attitude chief of Ravennanotizie.it, seeking €120,000 in OF 2017. of Turkish authorities, who are clearly seeking compensation after an article criticised official to send a silencing message to all other conduct in a manslaughter case. journalists. This is an unfolding tragedy for these journalists and their families that must Fines were imposed to stifle the media. In be resisted and why Mapping Media Freedom Belarus, freelance journalists were fined a total

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JOURNALISTS

REPORTED

TWENTY-TWO

VERIFIED ATTACKS

TO PROPERTY

IN Q2 2017. PIECES OF WORK CENSORED OR ALTERED Twenty-two works were censored and/or An op-ed piece written by law professor altered in the second quarter of 2017. Agence Octavio Salazar published in Spain’s El France Presse decided to not publish a story Pais newspaper was then removed from about allegations of corruption against the web because the editor-in-chief called ATTACKS TO PROPERTY Richard Ferrand, a minister who resigned it “inappropriate”. The article criticised the Media outlet offices were raided and paper Kathimerini in Thessaloniki shortly on 19 June to lead En Marche, President behaviour of the center-right party Partido journalist equipment damaged in 22 verified after midnight, throwing paint and flyers Emmanuel Macron’s party. The Istanbul Popular MP Rafael Hernando. Atkhyz 24, a incidents. In Ukraine, two unidentified which had threats written on them, including Metropolitan Municipality announced that local TV channel based in Russia’s Karachay- assailants smashed the front door of Do TeBe “good news is a stone on a journalist’s head.” it was shutting down its cultural publication, Cherkess Republic, deleted a report about TV channel in Kramatorsk located in Donetsk In Azerbaijan, police raided the offices of 1453 Istanbul Culture and Arts magazine Russian Orthodox church claims on Alanian oblast. In Greece, a group of about 10 masked independent online television project Kanal for publishing a photograph featuring the churches (churches built on the territory of individuals barged into the offices of daily 13 and confiscated documents and equipment. slogan “Erdo-Gone! İnşallah - Maşallah”. ancient Alana, now Ossetia).

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INTIMIDATION Right Wing Activists Intimidate The Press Journalists were pressured to reveal In Norway, Harald S. Klungtvei, editor of news sources, threatened with rape and violence, site Filter, was threatened by Martin Lorentzen, and intimidated by public officials in 78 who is linked to neo-Nazi organisation NMR. incidents in the second quarter. In Russia, In his messages Lorentzen called Klungtveit a INTIMIDATION, INCLUDING editor-in-chief of local news website, Kurier. “pig”, told him to “watch out for your family”. Sreda.Berdsk, Galina Komornikova, was He is also reported to have written ‘ACHTUNG’ threatened along with her staff by someone (English: Danger) and ‘RACE WAR!’. In the TROLLING/CYBERBULLYING, who promised to “come and handle us Netherlands, Loes Reijmer, a journalist and on behalf of law enforcement agencies columnist for De Volkskrant, faced a storm of following the article”. The day before, the abuse including rape threats after the popular PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE, site published a story on the secret funeral right-wing blog GeenStijl published her photo of Berdsk resident Yevgeni Tretyakov, who with the text: “Would you do her?” Laurent was a Russian military officer killed in Burlet, a journalist for Rue89Lyon, suffered Syria. In France, a letter containing death threats after writing an article on the rise of far- SEXUAL HARASSMENT, threats and a bullet was sent to the office right groups in Lyon, news website Rue89Lyon investigative website Mediapart. The letter reported. In France, Six days after Laurent read: “Vigilance and protection don’t last Burlet published an article on the rise of far- DEFAMATION AND Ad Vitam. On that day we will be there for right groups in Lyon on Rue89Lyon, he found you or one of your close ones.” a message by the door of his house, which said: “We know where to find you, Laurent”. DISCREDITING, Pressure To Reveal Sources The message was signed with a Celtic cross, the Latvian police summoned Indra Sprance, a symbol of nationalistic far-right. reporter for the weekly Latvian language WAS WIDESPREAD IR, and demanded she reveal her sources Intimidation From The State for a story on the firing of an insolvency In France, the president’s head of communication, administrator. The Irish High Court Sylvian Fort, insulted journalist Yann Barthès, ACROSS EUROPE WITH reopened a defamation case in which airline a presenter of the show Quotidien on channel Ryanair is demanding British TV station TMC, by calling him a “dickhead” and a Channel 4, and an independent production “retard.” In Bulgaria, Betina Joteva, a member company, Blakeway Productions, disclose of the committee on culture and media at the 78 INCIDENCES IN THE sources used in the 2013 episode of national assembly, told journalist Kudrinka Dispatches, Secrets From the Cockpit. Six Kudrinova to “be careful” and said “If you open journalists, who were summoned to testify your mouth one more time with me, you will SECOND QUARTER OF 2017. by authorities following their investigations see what happens.” In Russia, CEO of the state- into police errors in the German state of owned oil corporation Rosneft, Igor Sechin, and Niedersachsen, were told they would face the head of the Chechen republic, Ramzan high fines if they refused to speak. Kadyrov, stated that they were thinking of suing the Financial Times and Open Russia.

31 32 MMF Q2 2017 REPORT VIOLATIONS

LEGAL MEASURES Legislative measures and court decisions remove “clearly unlawful content” within 24 that curtail press freedom were verified 19 hours of notification. Lack of action results in times in Q2 2017. Ukraine’s President Petro high fines, and consistent non-compliance can Poroshenko signed a national security and be punished with fines between €5 and €50 LEGISLATIVE MEASURES defence council decree banning a number of million. Russian media and social media sites including VKontakte and Odnoklassniki along with In Poland, an MP for the ruling conservative AND COURT DECISIONS search engine Yandex and email service Mail. Law and Justice Party, Krystyna Pawłowicz, ru. Internet service providers will be forced appealed to the national broadcasting to block access to these sites for three years. council to withdraw the licence from private The German parliament passed two laws that television station TVN, for broadcasting THAT CURTAIL PRESS curtail press freedom: a new telecommunication news programme Fakty, arguing the surveillance law allows law enforcement programme was not accurate or reliable, and to monitor all encrypted messages, such as has provoked political tensions. Lithuania’s Whatsapp and iMessage, and access all stored Vilnius region administrative court ordered FREEDOM WERE VERIFIED information; Germany’s second chamber of Latvian company Baltijas Mediju Alliance parliament passed the Network Reinforcement (BMA), to stop its online broadcasts, which Act, which obliges social media platforms, are primarily in Russian, for not having the such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube to proper licence. 19 TIMES IN THE SECOND

QUARTER OF 2017.

33 34 MMF Q2 2017 REPORT VIOLATIONS

BLOCKED ACCESS Journalists were barred from reporting and six Spanish media outlets to an “off the record” media outlets were blocked 46 times. In breakfast briefing where they introduced the JOURNALISTS WERE Ukraine, the state border guard service barred new party spokespeople to the rest of media. two journalists from Russian state TV channel Life and a blogger from entering the country. Media outlets were also blocked repeatedly BARRED FROM REPORTING Their ban will last for three years for visiting in Azerbaijan. The e-Security Centre at the the annexed peninsula of Crimea. In the United Ministry of Transportation, Communication Kingdom, three journalists for Cornwall Live and High Technologies applied to block four were shut in a room, prevented from filming news websites and two satellite TV channels. AND MEDIA OUTLETS and severely limited in the questions they could Criminal.az reported that their website has ask during Prime Minister Theresa May’s been experiencing issues with access since 15 visit to a factory in Cornwall. In Montenegro, June. Anar Mammadov, editor-in-chief of the President of Parliament Ivan Brajovic ordered platform, said he assumed the website was WERE BLOCKED IN 46 camera operators and photographers not to film blocked following the recent publication of a the return of the opposition party MPs, who story on the death of an Azerbaijani soldier had been boycotting parliamentary sessions. whose body was returned to his family after INSTANCES DURING Spain’s left-wing Podemos party did not invite being killed at his base.

Q2 2017.

35 36 VIOLATIONS MMF Q2 2017 REPORT

LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT SIX INCIDENTS Six incidents were verified in which journalists were fired for their reporting. In Russia, the entire editorial staff of news website Vashi Novosti announced they were dismissed from CASE OF JOURNALISTS their roles. The announcement followed staff’s refusal to publish a critical piece on Mikhail Krivov. In the Czech Republic, a journalist for Mladá fronta Dnes, Marek Přibil, was fired in STUDIES: LOSING THEIR the wake of incident in which media mogul and ex-finance minister Andrej Babi accused Přibil of being an agent who had infiltrated Q2 2017 the MAFRA media organisation following the JOB WERE publication of several recorded conversations between the two. VERIFIED IN

Q2 2017.

37 38 MMF Q2 2017 REPORT CASE STUDIES

emonstrations occurred across Russia In Makhachkala, Dagestan, Caucasian Knot protesting government corruption on journalist Patimat Makhmudova said that D12 June. This was the second wave of unknown people had broken her camera during protests to be organised by opposition leader the 12 June protests. Additionally, Bariyat Alexei Navalny and his anti-corruption Idrisova and Saida Vagabova, correspondents foundation. The St Petersburg Ombudsman for the independent Dagestani news website Aleksandr Shyshlov also issued a press release Chernovik, were assaulted and prevented condemning police actions during the rallies from filming at the same anti-corruption rally, where “hundreds of people were detained, Chernovik reported. among them minors, media representatives, observers and passing civilians who did not In Saratov, an unknown person attempted commit any unlawful action.” to prevent filming by correspondents from the Open Channel, a local TV station. The In Moscow, Andrey Poznaykov, a reporter for unknown individual approached the TV crew, the Echo of Moscow radio station covering asked whether everything was OK and then the demonstrations, was detained while tried to run away with the camera. taking a break on a cafe’s terrace. Though he showed officers his press card, he was taken In St. Petersburg, among those who were to a police van and released soon after. Other detained were David Frenkel, a contributing detainees in Moscow include: Novaya Gazeta photographer for Kommersant and Mediazona, RUSSIA photographer Evgeni Feldman, a correspondent and Ksenia Morozova, the journalist for local for Open Russia Nikita Safronov, independent website Sobaka.ru, who were both covering photographer Georgi Malets, and independent the rally. Both journalists were detained journalist Denis Styazhkin. Aleksei Abanin, a despite showing their press cards. Frenkel photographer for the RTVi, wrote later that was released soon after while Morozova was a police officer had threatened “to break my taken to the police station, where she was camera and break my face if I continue to kept overnight before facing a trial for “public photograph”. order disturbance”. After spending 35 hours in the police station, Morozova was brought Ignacio Ortega, a Moscow-based reporter to the court for trial. She was sentenced to 10 for Spanish news agency EFE, was detained days administrative arrest and a fine of 15,000 while reporting from the anti-corruption rally. rubles (€250). Officers held Ortega in a van with dozens of other individuals before bringing him and the others to a police station.

In Sochi, Andrey Kiselyov, a correspondent for Radio RFE/RL, was detained and issued him a warning to not commit any further violations.

39 40 MMF Q2 2017 REPORT

CASE STUDY: AZERBAIJAN CASE STUDY: UKRAINE Afgan Mukhtarli, who has been based in Blogger and writer Stanyslav Aseev disappeared Tbilisi, Georgia, since 2015, was reportedly in territory controlled by the self-proclaimed abducted, beaten and taken across the border Donetsk People’s Republic and was reportedly to Azerbaijan where he was immediately detained by militants of the self-proclaimed detained. Mukhtarli was kidnapped from DPR. Aseev, who uses the alias Stanislav his neighbourhood, forced into a car with Vasin, contributes to a number of news outlets his hands tied and beaten. His lawyer, Elchin including Radio Liberty Donbas Realities ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sadigov, stated: “He was beaten, has a broken project, Ukrayinska Pravda, Ukrainian week, nose, bruises all over his head and right eye, Dzerkalo Tyzhnya and runs a prominent blog his rib may be broken.” Mukhtarli was then via Facebook. Tetyana Jakubowicz, one of EDITORIAL transported across the border into Azerbaijan Aseev’s project managers, said their contact Sally Gimson without his passport. He was then charged with Aseev had been lost on 2 June. Hannah Machlin with illegal border crossing, smuggling and Sean Gallagher resisting law enforcement. Azerbaijani police The journalist’s mother found evidence that Ryan McChrystal also claim Mukhtarli was in possession of his flat was broken into in Donetsk, and noted €10,000 during police search. Mukhtarli, that his some of his belongings were missing, RESEARCH whose wife and child are still in Tbilisi, including a laptop. Margaret Flynn Sapia fled to Georgia from Azerbaijan in 2015, after receiving threats over his investigative “We are trying to understand exactly what was ADDITIONAL EDITING / RESEARCH reporting on corruption in the Azerbaijani happening to him. We are still trying to gain Cassandra Allen defence ministry. The following day Mukhtarli access there to understand where he is,” Fiona Mary Meisenzahl was sentenced to three months in pretrial Frazer, head of the United Nations Human Claire Kopsky detention. Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, stated. DESIGN On 12 July 2017, a confidential source reported Andrea Cardenas that Aseev is under the custody of the de-facto “ministry of state security”. On 16 July, 2017, Yegor Firsov, a former member of Ukrainian parliament, wrote on his Facebook separatists had charged the journalist with espionage. He added that if the separatists convict him, he could face a jail sentence of up to 14 years, citing written confirmation provided from Aseev’s mother.

41 42 Please note these numbers relate to the number of verified incidents reported to the map. Because of the nature of crowdsourced reporting, they should not be taken as representing absolute numbers. Some countries with well-documented and repressive environments for journalists and media outlets appear to have a lower number of reports because journalists may fear reprisals for speaking out or independent reporting on an incident is not available. mappingmediafreedom.org

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