Free expression

Tajikistan: Authorities Arrest Bloggers for “Immorality”

Harassment for posting allegedly obscene content seen as a means to further shrink freedom of speech.

14 Mar 23

Abkhaz blogger Daur Buava (left) with his friend and colleague Shmagi Samkharadze with whom he co-founded the youth organisation Amra (meaning sun in Abkhaz language). Buava left his native Abkhazia and moved to Georgia where he was granted Georgian citizenship in December 2022. Abkhazian de-facto authorities charged him with treason. © Lana Kokaia

Georgia: “We Have the Right to Unify”

Abkhazian blogger accused of treason continues to campaign for coexistence.

14 Mar 23

A screenshot of the trial against Bolot Temirov, Kyrgyzstan's most prominent investigative journalist, who was deported from Bishkek to Moscow in November 2022. on charges of illegal documents. Temirov, founder of investigative YouTube channel “Temirov Live”, holds both Kyrgyz and Russian citizenship. He was arrested in February 2022 for illegal use and detention of drugs, charges he said were bogus. © Temirov Live

Kyrgyzstan’s Shrinking Space for Independent Journalism

A draconian draft media law and rising numbers of criminal investigations against journalists signal an authoritarian turn.

6 Feb 23

Nasha Niva, Belarus' oldest newspaper, was banned in November 2021 and declared an extremist formation in January 2022 as part of a continuous crackdown on journalists and government's critics. © Monica Ellena/IWPR

Belarus’ Oldest Outlet Epitomises Struggle for Press Freedom

In one of the world’s most dangerous countries for reporters, mere dissent can lead to years in jail.

27 Jan 23

A mosque in the village of Karakemer, in Kazakstan’s south-eastern Jambyl province. Kazakstans laws foresee that citizens can be punished for dissemination of religious materials, even if they are of a non-extremist nature. This even extends to selling a copy of the Quran or the New Testament on classified sites. © Petr Trotsenko RFE/RL

Kazakstan: Fined for a Book of Bible Stories

Citizens can be punished for dissemination of religious materials, even if of a non-extremist nature.

13 Jan 23

A screenshot of some of the televised forced confessions of Belarus' railway employees detained in March 2022 for their actions in support of Ukraine.

Belarus’ Epidemic of Public Shaming

Security services use TV confessions to spread fear and promote public self-censorship.

6 Dec 22

Participants of the free speech rally in Bishkek. © 24.kg

Kyrgyzstan: Towards Total Media Control?

Vaguely-worded legislation introduces potential restrictions on wide range of outlets

1 Nov 22

On October 4, independent journalist and filmmaker Avazmad Ghurbatov, who works with the name of Abdullo Ghurbati, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on dubious charges of using violence, insulting police officers and having ties with the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT). © Ghurbati's Facebook profile

Tajikistan’s Freedom of Expression Shrinks

Journalists get lengthy sentences on charges that rights groups say are groundless.

24 Oct 22

Ahmad Mammadli in a screenshot of the video filmed from a police van after his arrest. The 21-year-old chair of the pro-democracy group Democracy-1918 (D18) was detained on September 20 on charges of resisting police officers; the activist has been a vocal critic of Azerbaijani authorities' shelling inside Armenia's territory.

Anti-War Sentiments on the Rise in Azerbaijan

The recent escalation caught many by surprise, emboldening voices among the political opposition.

23 Sep 22

Seen on a monitor at a press conference Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes questions from the media on April 23, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. © John Moore/Getty Images

Ukraine Debates “Authoritarian” Media Law

Critics argue that move, currently being fast-tracked by lawmakers, could curtail free speech.

7 Sep 22

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