Free expression

Political prisoners in Belarus infographic 1/8.

Belarus’ Political Prisoners

Even those who flee the country are liable to prosecution.

9 Aug 22

Ayten Osmanova arranges a colourful hijab in her atelier in Azerbaijan's capital Baku. The designer started her fashion business to cater for the increasing number of liberal believers who, like her, sought a modest apparel with a modern, colourful twist. © Lamyia Adilgizi

Azerbaijani Women Embrace The Headscarf

Islam is on the rise in the oil-rich, secular South Caucasus country and the hijab is a way to make a statement.

26 Jul 22

Infographic on Belarusian media and extremism 1/9.

Belarus’ Crackdown on Media Continues

Regime uses accusations of extremism to silence dissenting voices – and intimidate news consumers.

14 Jun 22

Nika Gvaramia, editor-in-chief of TV Mtavari Arkhi, was sentenced to three and half years in jail on charges of abuse of power while serving as director of Rustavi 2, an independent broadcaster he ran until 2019. He is shown during a protest held in 2017 in support of Rustavi 2, whose ownership was changed by Georgia's the Supreme Court in 2017. © Courtesy of N Gvaramia

Jailing of Georgian Media Owner Raises Questions on Press Freedom

Nika Gvaramia imprisoned for abuse of power in a sentence largely seen as a retaliation for his criticism of the ruling party.

25 May 22

Azerbaijani journalist Ayten Mammadova was assaulted in the building where she lives in the capital Baku, an threatened at knifepoint by an unknown man who warned against reporting over an ongoing trial.

Azerbaijani Journalist Threatened Over High-Profile Trial

Rights organisations maintain that systematic lack of action in investigating such crimes serves to empower perpetrators.

13 May 22

Life in Kherson Under Russian Occupation

Residents in the southern city describe huge anxiety and intimidation amid a semblance of normal life.

12 Apr 22

Streaming studio of the YouTube channel Kotrikadze-Dzyadko. Tikhon Dzyadko and Ekaterina Kotrikadze, respectively editor-in-chief and news director of Dozhd TV, relocated to Georgia after Russia's last independent TV channel closed its operations on March 4. © Photo courtesy of Ekaterina Kotrikadze

Russia: The Fight for Independent Media Continues

Despite the crackdown that followed the invasion of Ukraine, journalists carry on the battle for free expression.

4 Apr 22

Larisa Kalik, 24, left her native Transnistria in spring 2020. Her book "The Youth Year", which describes the dire conditions young men face in the mandatory military service, attracted the ire of the authorities in Moldova's breakaway region. © Photo courtesy of Larisa Kalik

The Transnistrian Dissident Who Fled to Ukraine

A young activist who documented the dire conditions in the Transnistrian army found herself in Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

30 Mar 22

Oleh Baturin was kidnapped on March 12 and subjected to eight days of physical and psychological pressure before being released. © Photo courtesy of O. Baturin

Ukraine: Kidnapped Journalist Speaks Out

“I heard screams, heard others being interrogated. They were simply tortured.”

28 Mar 22

Donbas Decides (Донбасс решает), a popular pro-separatist Telegram in Eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Telegram Battlefield

How guerilla media operations in the country’s east preceded - and amplified - Russia’s invasion.

25 Feb 22

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