Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Journalists in Trouble is a monthly report of incidents targeting Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalists and their work, and developments affecting press freedom across 23 countries. Subscribe for exclusive updates.
RFE/RL’s Farid Mehralizada marks five months in detention in Azerbaijan; Alsu Kurmasheva receives the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) International Press Freedom Award; Vladyslav Yesypenko’s wife advocates for him in Canada; and more.
AZERBAIJAN: RFE/RL’s Farid Mehralizada Spends Fifth Month in Unjust Detention
Read also
October 30 marked five months since unidentified men violently abducted Farid Mehralizada near a metro station in Baku, Azerbaijan. Farid is an economist and journalist for RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, known locally as Radio Azadliq.
Farid is being held on baseless charges including “smuggling” and “money laundering,” and faces up to 12 years in prison. While in pre-trial detention, he missed the birth of his first child. His repeated requests to be moved to house arrest have been rejected.
Speaking on October 30, RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said: “We are deeply concerned by [Farid’s] continued imprisonment on false charges. We call for his immediate release so he can return home to his wife and newborn daughter.”
TAKE ACTION: Farid’s RFE/RL colleagues commemorated his 30th birthday on November 22 by sending him birthday cards and letters of support. Join us by sending your own letter using the digital form linked here. We encourage you to amplify Farid’s case on social media using the hashtag #FreeFarid.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- On October 24, ahead of the COP29 climate conference in Baku, the European Parliament adopted a resolutioncondemning the Azerbaijani government’s repression of activists, journalists, and opposition leaders, including Farid.
- “They are trying to show the world that we care about climate. But they don’t want independent voices criticizing.” Farid’s wife Nargiz Mukhtarova speaks to the Washington Postabout her husband’s case.
- “Farid has a passion for revealing the truth to people.” Read Nargiz’s interview with Voice of America.
Three other RFE/RL journalists are unjustly imprisoned: Ihar Losik and Andrey Kuznechyk in Belarus; and Vladyslav Yesypenko in Russia-occupied Crimea. November 25 marked three years sinceAndrey was arrested by unidentified masked men while riding his bike near his home in Minsk. He is currently serving a six-year sentence in a Belarusian penal colony.
UNITED STATES: Alsu Kurmasheva Receives the Committee to Protect Journalists’ International Press Freedom Award
On November 21, recently freed RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva accepted the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) 2024 International Press Freedom Award at a ceremony in New York City.
Alsu was imprisoned by Russia in October 2023 on false charges and released in a historic prisoner exchange on August 1, 2024.
In her acceptance speech, Alsu spoke about the darkest moments of her nine-month ordeal in Russian prison, her imprisoned RFE/RL colleagues, and the importance of a free press.
“My story is an example of the price that can be paid for reporting the truth…but I personally won’t stop doing my job and I trust nobody here tonight will either,” Alsu said.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- “I was familiar with all the tricks.” Alsu recounts how authorities tried—and failed—to break her during her time in Russian prison for the Washington Post’s Style section.
- “When the investigation dragged on—not for a month, not two, not three, but for five—I realized they might be plotting something against me.” Alsu opens up about her experience in Russian prison in interviews with Meduza and the Moscow Times.
CANADA: Vladyslav Yesypenko’s Wife Advocates for His Release at Peace Conference
In October, Kateryna Yesypenko, the wife of imprisoned RFE/RL journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, traveled to Canada to speak at the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula.
Kateryna joined a panel discussion on the plight of Ukrainian citizens held hostage by Russia. Speaking about Vlad, who has been imprisoned in Russia-occupied Crimea for more than three years, Kateryna said: “He knew it was dangerous. But his commitment to his country and to the truth was stronger than his fear. And his case deserves the highest attention of world leaders.”
Also attending the conference was U.S. Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya, who pledged to continue demanding Vlad’s release.
TAKE ACTION: Learn how you can help spread the word about Vlad’s unjust detention with RFE/RL’s advocacy toolkit.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- On October 31, the Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership ran a full-page adhighlighting Vlad’s case and calling for his immediate release.
- On November 15, RFE/RL co-hosted an eventwith the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington D.C. commemorating the 70th anniversary of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service. In her opening remarks, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova expressed continued resolve to free Vlad.
RUSSIA: ECHR Rules in Favor of RFE/RL in “Foreign Agent” Law Case
On October 22, the European Court of Human Rights issued a landmark ruling in favor of RFE/RL against Russia, determining that Moscow’s “foreign agent” laws violate the right to freedom of expression. Read our statement.
Apple has removed three RFE/RL apps from its Russian app store, at the request of Russia’s media regulator. In a statement,RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus called for the decision to be reversed.
IRAN: Former RFE/RL Journalist Imprisoned
Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department confirmed reports that Reza Valizadeh, a journalist who previously worked for Radio Farda, RFE/RL’s Persian-language service, was arrested in Iran in September.
RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said: “RFE/RL is aware that former employee, Reza Valizadeh, has been detained in Iran. We have had no official confirmation of the charges against him. Reza, a US-Iranian national, left RFE/RL in November 2022. We are profoundly concerned about the continued arrest, harassment, and threats against media professionals by the Iranian regime.”