News

September 30, 2024 - Europe -  Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party passed a sweeping legislative package titled “On Family Values and Protection of Minors”, adopting the bill through its third and final reading by a vote of 84–0. This package amends 18 existing laws—including the Freedom of Speech Act and broadcasting regulations—and explicitly bans media outlets from covering LGBTQ+ content. Under Article 8, broadcasters are prohibited from promoting “identification with a gender other than one’s biological sex or relationships between individuals of the same biological sex based on sexual orientation.” Violators face fines of 1,000 GEL...

September 30, 2024 - Burkina Faso/Russia/Ukraine -  Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has unveiled the operations of Italian national Vittorio Nicola Rangeloni, a self-proclaimed journalist who has spent nearly a decade amplifying Kremlin propaganda across conflict zones—from Russian-occupied Ukraine to Burkina Faso. RSF’s investigation reveals how Rangeloni’s work blurs the line between journalism and state-backed disinformation, positioning him as a key player in Moscow’s global information war. Rangeloni, a 32-year-old from Lecco, Italy, with partial Russian heritage, rose to prominence by producing media content in Eastern Ukraine that mirrored the Kremlin’s narrative. Fluent in Russian and...

September 30, 2024 - Haiti -  Widlore Mérancourt, editor-in-chief of Haiti’s investigative outlet AyiboPost, has been forced into hiding after receiving death threats for publishing a report revealing that Reuters journalists gave gifts to notorious Haitian gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier. Mérancourt’s September 18, 2024, article detailed how Cherizier showed off items—including balaclavas, alcohol, and cigarettes—that he claimed were provided by a Reuters reporter and photographer. The article sparked national attention and raised serious concerns about the ethics of foreign media reporting from crisis zones. Just a week after publication, Cherizier issued a chilling threat...

September 30, 2024 - Russia/Ukraine -  The International Press Institute (IPI) has revealed a coordinated campaign of mass spoofing targeting European news outlets, exposing a new and alarming tactic in Russia-linked disinformation efforts. Fake websites mimicking trusted media brands are being used to spread pro-Kremlin narratives while eroding public trust in journalism across the continent. According to IPI’s investigation, dozens of spoofed domains have been identified in recent months, including counterfeit versions of prominent outlets in Ukraine, France, Germany, and the Balkans. These sites replicate the design, logos, and even the URLs of legitimate news...

September 28, 2024 - Africa -  On the occasion of the International Day for Universal Access to Information, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its African affiliate, the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), called on African governments to adopt and enforce meaningful access-to-information (ATI) laws. They emphasized that robust information access is not just a media issue—it’s a cornerstone of democratic governance, transparency, and accountability. In many African countries, journalists still struggle to obtain basic public data necessary for reporting. Weak or outdated ATI laws, bureaucratic red tape, and state secrecy all contribute to...

September 27, 2024 - China/Russia -  Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has reignited its digital resistance campaign, Operation Collateral Freedom, unblocking nearly 50 censored news websites in Russia and China. By creating mirror versions of independent media outlets hosted on major cloud services, RSF is helping millions reclaim access to journalism suppressed by authoritarian regimes. Launched in observance of the International Day for Universal Access to Information, the operation targets two of the world’s most heavily censored countries. In Russia, where the government has blocked or dismantled most independent outlets since the invasion of Ukraine, RSF...

September 27, 2024 - Russia/Ukraine -  The International Press Institute (IPI) has strongly condemned a campaign of defamation lawsuits filed by Ukrainian politician and lawyer Andriy Portnov against several independent media outlets and journalists. The organization warns that this strategy represents a dangerous attempt to silence critical reporting through legal harassment, posing a significant threat to press freedom in Ukraine. Portnov, a former deputy head of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration, began filing lawsuits in 2023 targeting journalists and outlets such as the Kyiv Independent, Hromadske, and the investigative unit Schemes. These lawsuits primarily object to...

September 27, 2024 - Brazil -  As Brazil prepares for its October 2024 municipal elections, a disturbing wave of digital hostility has engulfed the country’s press. According to a new report by the Coalition in Defense of Journalism (CDJor), with support from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), more than 37,000 online attacks were recorded against journalists in just six weeks—from August 15 to September 27. The majority of these attacks took place on X (formerly Twitter), which accounted for 90% of all incidents. Posts often included derogatory slurs like “trash,” “shame,” or “activist,” and painted journalists...

September 27, 2024 - General -  On the occasion of the International Day for Universal Access to Information, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) launched a global campaign titled “No to Secrets,” urging governments around the world to stop restricting access to public information. The campaign highlights the vital role of transparency in upholding democracy, combating corruption, and empowering citizens to hold their leaders accountable. In recent years, many governments have tightened controls over information, using national security, anti-terrorism laws, and state secrecy provisions to shield official documents and data from public view. These legal...

September 27, 2024 - Brazil -  In the month leading up to Brazil’s October 2024 municipal elections, journalists faced an unprecedented wave of online hostility. According to a report by the Coalition in Defense of Journalism (CDJor), more than 37,000 online attacks were recorded against journalists between August 15 and September 27—an alarming figure that underscores a growing crisis for press freedom in Brazil’s digital sphere. The majority of these attacks—nearly 90%—were launched on X (formerly Twitter), where journalists were systematically targeted with slurs, threats, and campaigns aimed at discrediting their work. Reporters Without Borders...

September 26, 2024 - General -  At the 2024 UNCOVERED Conference in Athens, the Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) Impact Awards celebrated the power of cross-border collaboration in exposing injustice and holding the powerful to account. Three groundbreaking investigations were each awarded €5,000 for their significant public impact, innovative reporting methods, and international reach. One of the award-winning investigations, The Pylos Shipwreck: Reconstruction of a Catastrophe, meticulously uncovered the details of a 2023 migrant boat disaster off the Greek coast that claimed over 500 lives. Through forensic modeling, survivor interviews, and collaboration between outlets like...

September 26, 2024 - Armenia -  Armenia’s media landscape has made important strides since the 2018 Velvet Revolution, but a new analysis by the International Press Institute (IPI) reveals that press freedom remains on uncertain footing. Despite climbing to 34th in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Armenia faces mounting challenges, including rising political polarization, waning public trust, and weak legal protections for journalists. One of the most pressing concerns is the growing perception that media outlets are politically biased. Many prominent news platforms are closely aligned either with the ruling Civil Contract Party or...

September 26, 2024 - Kyrgyzstan -  In a troubling escalation of media repression in Kyrgyzstan, prosecutors have demanded six-year prison sentences for 11 journalists associated with Temirov Live, a prominent independent investigative outlet. The charges against them—ranging from “calling for mass unrest” to “creating an organised criminal group”—follow a January 2024 raid on their homes and offices. The case centers on journalists, including current and former staff: Makhabat Tajibek kyzy, Aktilek Kaparov, Aike Beishekeyeva, and Azamat Ishenbekov, four of whom remain in detention, while others are under house arrest or travel bans. Prosecutors claim the group’s reports contained "indirect" incitement, even...

September 26, 2024 - Palestine -  Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has issued a stark warning: since October 7, over 130 journalists have been killed in Gaza—at least 32 while reporting—a number so high that RSF fears the enclave may soon be without frontline media workers. Across Gaza, press vests no longer offer protection; instead, they have become targets. On September 26, RSF coordinated flash protests in ten countries, protesting the relentless killings and demanding urgent safeguards for journalists and granting safe access for foreign press. Director-General Thibaut Bruttin underscored that the “massacre of journalists…threatens to...

September 26, 2024 - China -  In a stark signal of shrinking press freedoms in Hong Kong, two senior editors from the pro-democracy outlet Stand News—Chung Pui‑kuen and Patrick Lam—have been convicted under the colonial-era Sedition Ordinance. On 26 September 2024, a Hong Kong court sentenced Chung, the former editor-in-chief, to 21 months in prison, and Lam, who had served pretrial custody, received 11 months before time already served and health considerations led to his release. This marks the first use of the sedition law against media figures since the 1997 handover, escalating concerns about the city’s rapid...

September 25, 2024 - Pakistan/Kenya - Nearly two years after the fatal shooting of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya, calls for justice have intensified. The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, has urged both Kenyan and Pakistani authorities to ensure full accountability for what she described as an "unlawful killing" that demands an independent and transparent investigation. Arshad Sharif, a prominent investigative journalist and vocal critic of Pakistan’s military, was forced into exile in 2022 following threats and legal harassment in his home country. He was killed on October 23, 2022,...

September 25, 2024 - Lebanon -  Since the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023, Lebanon has become one of the deadliest places for journalists outside the Palestinian territories. According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), at least nine journalists and media workers have been killed in Lebanon as a result of Israeli airstrikes and escalating cross-border violence. These fatalities highlight the growing dangers faced by reporters covering one of the region’s most volatile frontlines. Among the most recent victims was Kamel Karaki, a cameraman with Al-Majd News, who was killed on 24...

September 25, 2024 - Egypt/UK -  British-Egyptian blogger and activist Alaa Abdel Fattah remains imprisoned in Egypt despite completing his five-year sentence in September 2024, prompting renewed international condemnation. Press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Press Institute (IPI), alongside a recent UN ruling, have declared his continued detention both arbitrary and illegal under international law. Alaa, a key figure in Egypt’s 2011 revolution and a longtime critic of government repression, was convicted in 2021 on charges of "spreading false news"—a broadly defined offense often used by Egyptian authorities to silence...

September 25, 2024 - China -  Hong Kong’s government has denied entry and refused a visa renewal for French photojournalist Louise Delmotte, who was working for the Associated Press. Her expulsion marks yet another troubling sign of the shrinking space for press freedom in the once semi-autonomous city. Delmotte had been based in Hong Kong since March 2023 and was widely recognized for her coverage of politically sensitive topics, including the trial of jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai. According to reports, Delmotte’s work visa application was rejected without explanation earlier this year. On September...

September 25, 2024 - Croatia - A recent press freedom mission by the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) has found that Croatia’s media environment is under serious threat from entrenched political interference, outdated laws, and economic instability. While Croatia is an EU member and its constitution guarantees freedom of expression, the practical reality for journalists and media outlets is increasingly precarious. One of the most pressing concerns is the misuse of defamation and insult laws. These criminal statutes are frequently used in strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), designed...

September 24, 2024 - Cambodia - In a disturbing twist, Cambodian journalist Ouk Mao, who helped expose illegal deforestation in the Phnom Chum Rok Sat community forest, now finds himself accused of the very crime he uncovered. Mao, 49, was charged with deforestation and incitement—serious offenses in Cambodia that carry prison terms of up to 10 and 2 years respectively—after he reported on land seizures and forest destruction linked to powerful political and military interests. Mao’s investigative work revealed how the Lin Vatey company, allegedly connected to military figures, had taken over large swaths of...

September 24, 2024 - Iran -  Iranian security forces arrested Fardin Mostafaei, a 39-year-old Kurdish investigative journalist and administrator of the popular Telegram channel Saqqez Rudaw, in a café in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province. He has since been held at an undisclosed location, with authorities neither revealing charges nor location—a form of enforced disappearance. Mostafaei’s tensions with the state began in November 2023 when Saqqez's cyber police (FATA) summoned him following complaints from the city’s governor. He was interrogated for allegedly "spreading false information" and “disturbing public opinion” related to his reporting on local socio-economic issues. PEN...

September 24, 2024 - Mexico -  veteran reporter Mario Leonel Gómez Sánchez, a correspondent for El Heraldo de Chiapas, was gunned down outside his home in Yajalón, Chiapas—Europe's most violent region for the press in Mexico—reportedly shot by two men on a motorcycle. Gómez, 41, had long exposed organized crime and corruption in local government, including threats received in 2016 from a congressman’s associate after he reported on alleged abuses. Though three suspects were arrested and convicted years later—with one receiving 25 years and two others 19 years—the intellectual authors behind the murder remain unidentified. The Chiapas...

September 24, 2024 - Yemen -  In a milestone for press freedom and journalist protection, two Yemeni universities—Saba Region University in Marib and Al Mahrah University—have become the first in the country to adopt the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and UNESCO’s Media Safety Curriculum. The integration of this course into journalism programs marks a proactive step toward equipping future reporters with the tools and knowledge necessary to navigate the dangerous and politically unstable media landscape in Yemen. The curriculum, developed by IFJ and UNESCO with support from the Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression...

September 24, 2024 - Sahel - In a bold regional initiative, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), alongside 547 community radio stations across the Sahel, has launched an urgent appeal to protect local journalism from growing threats. The joint statement, released during a large-scale mobilization event in Bamako on September 24, 2024, underscores the vital role community radio plays in informing rural populations in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad—regions increasingly plagued by violence, extremism, and media suppression. Community radio stations in the Sahel are often the only accessible source of independent news for millions of people....