19.09.2023 – Belarusian Journalist Siarhei Hardziyevich Arrested at Polish-Belarusian Border

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the arrest of Siarhei Hardziyevich (Сяргей Гардзіевіч).

On 14 September 2023, Siarhei Hardziyevich, born 1971, was detained at the Brest border checkpoint while returning from Poland to Belarus. On 2 August 2023, the Ivanava District Court sentenced Hardziyevich to 18 months in a general-security penal colony.

According to Belarusian Association of Journalists authorities examined Hardziyevich’s phone at the border crossing and subsequently arrested him, sending him to the Brest temporary detention center. Allegedly he faces accusations related to the distribution or possession of extremist content on his phone.

Hardziyevich was reporter from the town Drahichyn in Belarus for the independent online portal Piershy Rehijon (Першы рэгiён)- www.1reg.by.

It is not the first time that Hardziyevich was arrested. On 22 December 2020 he was detained and the Ivanava District Court in Belarus convicted Hardziyevich on 2 August 2021 on charges of insulting public officials, spreading libel, and insulting the president. Despite maintaining his innocence, he was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison and was recognized as a political prisoner. On 25 December 2021 he was placed under house arrest. He was finally released on 17 October 2022.

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 #brest #SiarheiHardziyevich #journalistarrested #journalistinjail #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns a case of pressure against journalist Olena Kozubovska (Олена Ігорівна Козубовська ) and camera operator Serhiy Ovcharyshyn (Сергій Овчаришин ) from the local online media outlet, NikVesti (НикВести) (https://nikvesti.com/), during a council session by several members of the city council..

All happened on 5 September, 2023 in Yuzhnoukrainsk (Южноукраїнськ), a town in southern Ukraine,

A video uploaded to YouTube by NikVesti captured the scene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKq0RjqCFIs), where a council member, demanded that the journalists vacate the room where the session was taking place. Additional the council member contended that the session was closed to the public and claimed to have personally rented the room, insisting that the journalists pay to remain and that the journalists alleged lacked proper accreditation. She called the police for assistance.

Upon their arrival, the police found no wrongdoing on the part of the journalists and declined to remove them. Consequently, NikVesti’s correspondents were eventually permitted to report on the council session.

Representatives from the Kyiv-based Institute of Mass Information (IMI) contacted the main office of the National Police in Mykolaiv oblast, who confirmed that the incident had taken place, but the deputy refused to file a statement against the journalists in the end. IMI informed the public in April this year that Olena Kozubovska suffered injuries to her hands and was trapped under the rubble after a Russian Kalibr missile from Black sea hit the five-story building in downtown Mykolaiv where she was living and destroying it.

Additional, on 6 September 2023, a cyber attack was carried out against IMI.

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.

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Istria Media Days 15-18 October 2023, Vrsar, Istria, Croatia – for professors and students (media, communication, political science, public diplomacy, journalism.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #croatia #istria #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

On 29 August 2023, Mehmet Karakeçili, editor-in-chief of the local news website Virantv in Viranşehir, Şanlıurfa province in Türkiye / Turkey, was allegedly physically assaulted and threatened by individual, who is the bodyguard and nephew of a local politician. The attack was allegedly prompted by Karakeçili’s reporting on corruption.

Reports indicate that the attacker was released from custody under judicial control, and his licensed weapon was confiscated by local authorities.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is asking Turkish authorities to protect all journalists in the country.

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 #turkey #MehmetKarakeçili #HaleGönültaş #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @karakecilim @hale_gonultas

On Thursday 7 September 2023, a person involved in an ongoing lawsuit against the news portal KRIK (https://www.krik.rs/en/), requested a postponement of trial, citing that journalists reporting about the case were exerting pressure on the court proceedings.

Her lawyer, supported her request for a postponement, accusing a particular journalist of attempting to intimidate her and the court.

The Judge rejected the proposal and continued the hearing.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #serbia #krik #ananovakovic #stevandojcinovic #slapp #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @StevanOCCRP

On 30 August, 2023, a film crew from Radio Svoboda (Радіо Свобода) (https://www.radiosvoboda.org/), the local service of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) (https://www.rferl.org/), came under attack while reporting in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas (Донба́с) region. The incident occurred during a Russian missile attack. Fortunately, camera operator Hanna Kudryavtseva (Ганна Кудрявцева), reporter Yevheniya Kytayiva (Євгенія Китайіва), and their driver Volodymyr Yavniuk (Володимир Явнюк), were unharmed. However, the vehicle used by the reporting crew sustained heavy damage (photos visible online: https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-znimalna-hrupa-radio-svoboda-obstril/32571623.html%20).

According to Radio Svoboda, Kudryavtseva and Kytayiva had recently joined the media outlet but brought extensive experience reporting from the front lines in Donbas. Kudryavtseva had been documenting events since 2014, while Kytayiva had been reporting from the conflict zone since 2015. Impressively, they had been working together for seven years, as reported by the broadcaster. Volodymyr Yavniuk had been collaborating with Radio Svoboda since 2021.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the attack on the Radio Svoboda crew in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Such acts of violence against journalists are unacceptable.

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 #ukraine #russia #war #radiosvoboda #HannaKudryavtseva #YevheniyaKytayiva #VolodymyrYavniuk #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

On 31 August 2023 a court in Gomel / Homel (Гомель), Belarus, has sentenced journalist and activist Larysa Shchyrakova (Ларыса Шчыракова) to 3 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of 3,700 RUB (approximately 1,350 EUR). A criminal case was opened against Shchyrakova under Art. 369-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (discrediting the Republic of Belarus). During the court process she faced additional charges related to Part 1 and Part 2 of Art. 361-4 (promoting extremist activity and the act committed several times) of the Criminal Code of Belarus. She is arrested since December 2022.

Shchyrakova, born 1973, who had contributed to the human rights group Gomelskaya Viasna (Гомельская Вясна) that is banned by the state and the Polish independent broadcaster Belsat TV (Белсат), was accused of disseminating “false information” with the alleged intent to destabilize Belarus during anti-government protests. Despite working as a freelancer for Belsat TV from 2007 to 2022, she endured multiple detentions, fines, and harassment by the government. When she was arrested in 2022, her son was placed in a state institution for children.

This sentencing is part of a broader crackdown on journalists in Belarus, where media freedom has been under siege since many years.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the new court decision against a journalist in Belarus. 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 #LarysaShchyrakova #belsattv #journalistarrested #journalistinjail #journalistattacked #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

Yahor Martsinovich (Егор Александрович Мартинович/ Yahor Martsinovich / Яго́р Алякса́ндравіч Марціно́віч), editor-in-chief of Nasha Niva(Наша Нива) (https://nashaniva.com/), posted a Facebook message to express his gratitude towards the thousands of Belarusians who rallied behind him and other political prisoners during their time in detention (https://www.facebook.com/jahor.marcinovich). Martsinovich thanked those who offered support, assistance, and concern, emphasizing the strength that unity brings. He plans to write to everyone who reached out to him during his incarceration.

Martsinovich’s detention, along with Andrei Skurko (Андрэй Скурко), the advertising manager of Nasha Niva, took place on 8 July 2021 and ended on 18 August 2023. Martsinovich revealed that during his arrest, he experienced physical abuse.

The charges against Martsinovich and Skurko stemmed from an allegation that NashaNiva had paid utility bills at individual tariffs rather than those designated for legal entities. Although the defendants repaid the incurred damage, they were sentenced to two and a half years in prison on 15 March 2022.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation#ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #belarus #nashaniva #YahorMartsinovich #journalistreleased #journalistattacked #journalistarrested #journalistinjail#SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

On 29 August 2023 Giorgos Papachristos (Γιώργος Παπαχρήστος), long-year journalist and advisor of one of the leading Greek newspapers TA NEA (https://www.tanea.gr/), became the victim of a physical assault during halftime at a football match at Athens Olympic Stadium. Reports indicate that a person approached Papachristos while he was conversing with a colleague. Without warning, this person allegedly punched the journalist in the face and head. Additionally, there were verbal threats against Papachristos.

Papachristos was later taken to a hospital in Athens for medical examinations.

The Greek government swiftly condemned the attack, emphasizing the importance of press freedom and the unacceptable nature of such violent actions. Opposition parties also denounced the assault, underscoring that attacks on journalists undermine democracy and must be unequivocally condemned. The incident has raised concerns about the safety and freedom of journalists in Greece and the need for swift and thorough investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns this attack and hopes that the attacker will be punished according to the law and that the police in Greece will take all necessary steps to secure the life of Papachristos.

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 #greece #athens #GiorgosPapachristos #journalistattacked #journalistassault#SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @papachristosgio

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns recent two incidents of violence and obstruction targeting media professionals in Kazakhstan. SEEMO calls upon authorities to promptly investigate these attacks and ensure the safety and freedom of journalists in the country.

In the first case, on 18 August 2023, journalist Diana Saparkyzy (ДианаСапарқызы) from KazTAGnews agency (КазТАГ)Казахскоетелеграфноеагентство (https://kaztag.kz/ru/) was attacked during her visit to a mine after a fire accident and deaths of five workers one day earlier.

One additional incident occurred on 22 August 2023 in the afternoon. Radio Azattyk (Радио Азаттык) (https://rus.azattyk.org/) reporter Sania Toiken (СанияТойкен) and cameraperson Yerzhan Amirkhanov (Ержан Әмірханов) were stopped by local police and questioned about the purpose of their visit in Aktau. Later a drone they used for taking a video was destroyed by a car. After initially fleeing the scene, the car driver returned with a lawyer, refusing to compensate for the destruction.

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 #kazakhstan #KazTAG #RadioAzattyk #DianaSaparkyzy #SaniaToiken #YerzhanAmirkhanov #journalistattacked #journalistassault#SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @Sonitab