02.10.2023 – SEEMO Condemns Latvia’s Move to Ban Russian – Language Content by 2026

On 25 September 2023, a court in Vitsebsk (Віцебск), Belarus, has handed down sentences to freelance video-reporter Vyachaslau Lazarau (Вячаслаў Дзмітрыевіч Лазараў), born 1976, and his wife, Tatsiana Pytsko (Таццяна Леанідаўна Пыцько), on charges related to extremism. Vyachaslau Lazarau received a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence, while Tatsiana Pytsko was sentenced to three years. The trial took place behind closed doors, and both individuals were accused of promoting extremist activities.

Vyachaslau Lazarau was arrested on 9 February 2023, with security forces conducting a search of his home and confiscating his office equipment. He has been in detention in the prison 1Vitebsk SIZA-2 since then. Tatsiana Pytsko was arrested on 6 June 2023 and subsequently charged with creating or participating in an extremist group.

Lazarau worked both on the state regional television and on the private regional TV channel “Nashe TV”.

Vyachaslau Lazarau faced charges under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code for promoting extremist activities through his association with a non-state media outlet recognized as extremist in Belarus. According to the case file, Tatsiana was assisting her husband in producing video content.

Following Tatsiana’s arrest, their one-year-old daughter was placed in an orphanage and is now in the custody of relatives.

These sentences come amid an ongoing crackdown on independent media and free speech in Belarus, with many journalists, activists, and individuals from democratic institutions being detained and facing legal action. The international community, including the United States and the European Union, has imposed sanctions on the Belarusian regime in response to the disputed 2020 presidential election and subsequent human rights abuses.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the recent sentencing of Vyachaslau Lazarau and Tatsiana Pytsko, in Belarus. SEEMO calls for the immediate release of Vyachaslau Lazarau, Tatsiana Pytsko, and all journalists and media workers unjustly detained in Belarus. We stand in solidarity with those who strive to uphold the principles of free and independent media, and we urge Belarusian authorities to respect press freedom and the right to express critical voices without fear of persecution.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #belarus #VyachaslauLazarau #TatsianaPytsko #journalistarrested #journalistinjail #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

Istria Media Days 15-18 October 2023, Vrsar, Croatia

more: https://seemo.org/istria-media-days-15-18-october-2023-vrsar-croatia/

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Ankara, Türkiye / Turkey has filed charges against Kurdish journalist Sedat Yılmaz, accusing him of “membership in an illegal organization” and “establishing or leading a terrorist organization.” Yılmaz, who serves as an editor for Mezopotamya Agency (MA) (http://mezopotamyaajansi35.com/en) and contributes to the BİA Children’s Library, faces these charges based on an indictment primarily focusing on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the group he is alleged to be associated with. PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, EU, United States and some other countries

The indictment categorizes MA, along with Jin News (https://jinpanel.com/en), Artı TV (http://artitv.tv/), YeniYaşam newspaper (https://yeniyasamgazetesi5.com/), and the Kurdish-language children’s TV network Zarok TV (https://zaroktv.com.tr/en/home/), as the “broadcasting and publication committee” of the PKK. It also incorporates statements from two confidential witnesses with one of them serving as a confidential witness in an ongoing case against the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) for purported “PKK connections.”

Furthermore, the prosecutor’s case includes Yılmaz’s HTS (cell phone location data) records, revealing 2,176 calls made to 11 individuals, including his brother and colleagues. Yılmaz is claimed to have communicated with 49 individuals linked to other “terrorism” cases.

The indictment highlights Yılmaz’s minimal banking transactions and unusual cash deposits into his account after September 2016, as well as his lack of cash withdrawals or deposits since 2018, considered deviations from normal financial activity and adherence to PKK’s “organizational secrecy.”

Social media also plays a role in the case, with Yılmaz’s Facebook profile, last updated in 2017, scrutinized. The prosecutor alleges that Yılmaz embraced the ideologies of various organizations. Additionally, the case contains information that between 2012-2015 when the government was engaged in talks with the PKK, Yılmaz allegedly stayed at the same hotel as individuals close to PKK.

According to his statement several months ago, Yilmaz finds himself incarcerated not for a crime committed, but for his work as a reporter.

The Penal Court in Ankara, Türkiye / Turkey transferred the case to Diyarbakır,Türkiye / Turkey citing a “lack of jurisdiction.” Sedat Yılmaz has been in custody at Sincan Prison in Ankara, Türkiye / Turkey. When Yilmaz was arrested on Saturday 29 April in Diyarbakır, he was allegedly mistreated and beaten according to the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya news agency.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) calls again the. Turkish authorities to investigate the mistreatment of Yılmaz when he was arrested. Additional SEEMO stands in solidarity with Sedat Yılmaz for his professional journalism work.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation#ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack#Türkiye #Turkey #ankara #SedatYılmaz #journalistarrested #journalistinjail #journalistattacked#SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @ylzsedat

The Czech authorities are facing increasing calls to conduct a prompt investigation into a string of threats aimed at journalists associated with the independent investigative news outlet IStories (https://istories.media/en/). Reporters Irina Dolinina (Ирина Долинина) and Alesya Marokhovskaya (Алеся Мароховская) have been targeted with several messages sent to IStories’ website between March and September 2023 (https://istories.media/en/stories/2023/09/19/istories-journalists-threatening/).

These messages not only contained threats but also sensitive personal information of both journalists. This unsettling situation has stirred apprehension regarding the safety of independent Russian journalists currently residing in Czech Republic where many of IStories’ editorial team relocated following Russia’s invasion on Ukraine.

The first threat, issued in March 2023, disturbingly included the specific streets where Marokhovskaya and Dolinina resided at that time. Subsequent messages, especially the one in August 2023, hinted at the sender’s awareness of Marokhovskaya’s relocation and even made reference to her dog. As if these weren’t troubling enough, additional warnings surfaced, cautioning both journalists against attending a journalism conference in Sweden.

While the exact source of these threats remains elusive, they cannot be unequivocally linked to any particular journalistic investigation. However, both journalists harbor strong suspicions that these menacing messages might be related to their extensive coverage of the ongoing war. Notably, the threatening messages were dispatched from the email address “zzz@mail.ru,” It’s worth noting that the letter “Z” has taken on connotations of pro-war sentiment, particularly in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Some of the treats are documented online: https://storage.googleapis.com/istories/stories/2023/09/19/pust-ne-spyat-spokoino-vashi-gnidi/index.html

This deeply concerning incident underscores the persistent threats confronting independent Russian journalists, even when they are based in European Union.

Furthermore, it is noteworthy that Russian authorities have previously targeted IStories, branding it as an “unwelcome” entity and “agent form abroad”.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the threats targeting journalists Irina Dolinina and Alesya Marokhovskaya. Such threats against journalists working in the pursuit of truth are utterly unacceptable. We call on Czech authorities to conduct a swift and comprehensive investigation into these threats, ensuring the safety and protection of these journalists. Freedom of the press must be upheld, and journalists should not live in fear for their lives due to their work.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #russi #czechrepublic #prague #AlesyaMarokhovskaya #IrinaDolinina #IStories #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @marohovskaya @dolinina_irina

Istria Media Days 15-18 October 2023, Vrsar, Croatia

more: https://seemo.org/istria-media-days-15-18-october-2023-vrsar-croatia/

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the recent decision by the Belarusian Supreme Court to designate the Belarusian Investigative Center (Беларускі расследавальніцкі цэнтр) (BIC) (https://investigatebel.org/en), an independent investigative media outlet based in the Czech Republic, as “extremist.”

According to several local sources, on 15 September, 2023 the Belarusian Supreme Court in Minsk, Belarus, held a session where it confirmed the extremist classification of the Belarusian Investigative Center (BIC) as requested by the prosecutor. This ruling is one additional form to destroy independent journalism and critical media in Belarus. BIC was named as extremist in October 2022.

BIC, affiliated with the Organized Crime and Corruption Research Center (OCCRP) (https://www.occrp.org/en), has been consistently engaged in investigative journalism, including collaborations with the in Belarus banned independent Polish broadcaster Belsat TV (Белсат) (https://belsat.eu/en). These investigations have shed light on potential corruption schemes involving high-ranking officials.

Designating BIC as an “extremist” entity carries substantial legal consequences, such as the possibility of imprisonment for those displaying its logo and a complete ban on its activities within Belarus. Additionally, the authorities have alleged that BIC has been involved in the distribution of “extremist” content and the dissemination of inaccurate information concerning Belarus’ political, economic, social, and international affairs, along with discrediting government institutions.

Belarus has consistently aimed at journalists and autonomous media entities, with BIC now joining an expanding roster of media organizations branded as “extremist” under the regime’s crackdown. SEEMO urges Belarusian authorities to uphold press freedom and put an end to these repressive measures against journalists and media organizations functioning in the nation.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #belarus #belsat #BIC #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

Turkish journalist Sinan Aygül has been sentenced to six months in prison on Tuesday 19 September 2023, as a result of his investigative journalism work.

Aygül serves also as the President of the Bitlis Journalists Association and works as the editor-in-chief of Bitlis News (https://www.bitlisnews.com.tr/).

This case is compounded by a separate incident in which Aygül was physically assaulted on 17 June 2023 in Tatvan district of Bitlis by two individuals. In an unexpected turn of events, these attackers were released.

The situation surrounding Aygül highlights the ongoing challenges faced by journalists in Türkiye / Turkey, where media freedom has faced increasing limitations. Türkiye / Turkey has repeatedly drawn criticism from international organizations for its treatment of journalists.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the sentencing of Turkish journalist Aygül. SEEMO underscores the importance of a free press in every democratic country. It calls on Turkish authorities to respect media freedom, refrain from using legal actions to suppress investigative journalism, and create an environment where journalists can work without fear of retaliation. Türkiye / Turkey must uphold its commitments to safeguarding press freedom and the rights of journalists as an essential component of a democratic society. SEEMO stands in solidarity with Sinan Aygül and all journalists facing similar challenges in the pursuit of truth and accountability.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #türkiye #turkey #SinanAygül #BitlisNews #journalistinprison #journalistinjail #jailedjournalist #journalistarrested #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the decision by the Southern District Military Court (Южный окружной военный суд ) in Rostov-on-Don (Росто́в-на-Дону́) in Russia on Tuesday 12 September 2023 to sentence Russian journalist Abdulmumin Gadzhiev (Абдулмумин Гаджиев), born 1984, to 17 years in prison. He is the religion editor of the independent outlet Chernovik (Черновик) (https://chernovik.net/).

Gadzhiev had already spent 4 years in jail on what many believe to be fabricated charges in retaliation for his journalism. His arrest in June 2019 stemmed from accusations of involvement with militant organizations, including ISIS, and transferring funds to the extremist.

The court convicted Gadzhiev of financing terrorism, participating in a terrorist group, and organizing the activity of an extremist group.

According to the court decision, Gadzhiev should serve seven years in prison and ten years in a penal colony. He has consistently denied all charges and plans to appeal the sentence.

According to chernovik.net, Gadzhiev maintained in a statement on 7 September 2023, that the case against him had been “a ‘fake’ from start to finish” and that the four years he spent in prison were “the most productive years” of his life, during which he published “hundreds of reports from behind bars.”

Gadzhiev’s colleagues have launched public campaigns disputing the allegations, describing them as “illegal and unfounded” and retaliation for the newspaper’s critical coverage of local law enforcement.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #russia #AbdulmuminGadzhiev #Chernovik #journalistarrested #journalistinjail #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

Armand Bajrami, an Albanian journalist who works as court and news reporter, informed on 12 September 2023 he public and the Cybercrime section of the Police Directorate in Tirana, Albania about an alarming case of his personal data being misused by an unauthorized individual.

In a troubling incident, an email sent from the address armand.bajrami@protonmail.com has surfaced, where the sender, claiming to be Armand Bajrami, an A2 CNN – CNN exclusive affiliate (https://a2news.com/) journalist, solicited information from the Internal Control Service of Prisons and the Elbasan Prosecution. However, Bajrami asserts that this email account does not belong to him.

The correspondence via email involved requests for updates on an Elbasan Prosecutor’s Office investigation into a suspected case of abuse within prison in Lushnja / Lushnjë, Albania. Notably, the correct contact number of the journalist was used in the email sent to SHKBB. In a further the email sent to the Elbasan Prosecutor’s Office listed the phone number of Bajrami’s wife, who is a journalist at ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/). To add to the complexity, a photocopy of Armand Bajrami’s identity card was also attached to these fraudulent communications.

The impostor not only falsely utilized the journalist’s name and personal data but also appropriated the name of A2CNN, the television network where Bajrami is currently employed, along with the network’s accurate address in the email signature.

This incident has raised significant concerns about the misuse of personal information for potentially deceptive purposes and underscores the need for heightened vigilance regarding data security and identity protection.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the incident, where his personal data was misused. This flagrant violation of journalistic integrity and the right to privacy is deeply concerning. SEEMO calls on relevant authorities to swiftly investigate this case, identify the perpetrators responsible for this misuse of personal data, and bring them to justice. We further emphasize the importance of safeguarding the personal information and professional integrity of journalists, which are essential for the functioning of a free and independent media. We stand in solidarity with Mr. Armand Bajrami and urge all media organizations and authorities to remain vigilant in protecting the rights and safety of journalists throughout the region.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #albania #ArmandBajrami #A2CNN #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia