National Press Club statement on Russian designation of the Committee to Protect Journalists as an "undesirable" organization
PR Newswire
WASHINGTON, May 27, 2026
WASHINGTON, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. today issued the following statement on Russia's designation of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) as an "undesirable" organization, which threatens any individual inside Russia who cooperates with, donates to, or distributes the content of CPJ with fines and up to six years in prison.
"We stand by our colleagues with the Committee to Protect Journalists and their vital work to document Russia's rapid deterioration of press freedoms under President Vladimir Putin. The National Press Club calls on Russia to remove CPJ and other journalism advocacy organizations as 'undesirable.'Russia's use of the 'undesirable' label to silence independent media, human rights organizations, and advocacy groups is not new and has only accelerated following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.CPJ joins a long list of organizations that have been effectively criminalized for daring to speak out against ever-restricting avenues for free expression in the country. These include but are not limited to Reporters Without Borders, the International Women's Media Foundation, and exiled Russian media outlets.Journalism is not a crime, and the work of CPJ to defend the rights of independent journalists is not illegal. As avenues to challenge official Kremlin propaganda close, CPJ's commitment to continue to stand by Russian journalists attacked, imprisoned and forced into exile remains vital."About the National Press ClubFounded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists and a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.Contact: Beth Francesco, Executive Director of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, media@press.org
