News

08 January 2025 - Iran -  Iranian journalist and documentary filmmaker Mehrdad Aladin was detained in Tehran’s Evin Prison after responding to a summons from the Shahi Moghadas preliminary court. Aladin, who works for the Didban Iran news website and is known for covering social and environmental issues, was arrested without formal charges being announced. His sudden detention sparked concern among press freedom advocates and international human rights organizations. Aladin’s arrest is widely viewed as part of a broader crackdown on independent journalism and documentary filmmaking in Iran. His work often explored sensitive topics such...

08 January 2025 - France /Syria -  Freelance journalist Sylvain Mercadier and his fixer, Mohammed al Fayyad, were detained for over four hours on January 8, 2025, by Israeli troops in the Hamidiyah village near Quneitra—a buffer zone in southern Syria recently occupied by the IDF. The pair were questioned, handcuffed, and blindfolded in what Mercadier described as an “humiliating” process, during which soldiers allegedly confiscated his SIM card, memory cards, and $200 from his fixer—claims the IDF denies. Mercadier posted on X, recounting how they were “threatened and humiliated,” held in a local governorate building, and eventually abandoned...

08 January 2025 - Italy/Iran -  In a high-stakes diplomatic effort, Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was released by Iranian authorities on January 8, 2025, after 20 days in solitary confinement at Evin Prison. Sala, a correspondent for Il Foglio and the "Stories" podcast from Chora Media, was detained on December 19, 2024, while reporting in Tehran. Iranian state media cited a violation of local laws, though no specifics were provided. Her arrest occurred shortly after Iran expressed frustration over Italy’s detention of Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini—who was arrested on a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly...

January 08, 2025 - France/Syria -  French freelance journalist Sylvain Mercadier and his Syrian fixer Mohammed al-Fayyad were detained by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the Hamidiyah area, located in the buffer zone of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, near the Syrian border. The pair was reportedly held for over four hours, during which they were blindfolded, handcuffed, and subjected to what Mercadier described as humiliating treatment. According to Mercadier’s account, the IDF accused them of entering a restricted military area and confiscated their belongings, including SIM cards, memory cards, and approximately $200 from al-Fayyad. After...

07 January 2025 - General -  A recent article published by Phys.org on January 7, 2025, draws urgent attention to the unprecedented dangers facing journalists worldwide, particularly in conflict zones. Based on data presented at the Cairo Media Conference, the article declares that “the international legal system has collapsed, and journalism is collapsing with it.” This stark warning follows the deadliest year for journalists since 1992, with at least 146 journalists killed since October 7, 2023, primarily in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon. Experts fear the actual death toll may be higher. Nidal...

January 07, 2025 - UK/Egypt -  Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has issued an urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of Egyptian-British activist and writer Alaa Abdel Fattah, whose continued imprisonment has sparked global concern. At the same time, his mother, academic and activist Laila Soueif, has completed 100 days on hunger strike, intensifying pressure on Egyptian authorities and drawing renewed international scrutiny. Alaa Abdel Fattah, a leading voice of Egypt’s 2011 revolution, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2021 for allegedly “spreading false news.” Although his sentence officially expired in September...

January 07, 2025 - General -  The year 2024 was one of the deadliest in recent memory for journalists, with 122 media workers killed worldwide, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). This tragic figure, the highest since 2012, underscores the growing dangers faced by those reporting from the frontlines of war, repression, and political unrest. Over 60% of the deaths occurred in the Middle East and Arab world, with Gaza and Lebanon among the most perilous regions. At least 14 of the victims were women journalists, reflecting both the increasing involvement of women...

09 January 2025 - Sri Lanka -  journalists, activists, and civil society members gathered at Independence Square in Colombo to mark the 16th anniversary of the unsolved murder of Tamil journalist Ayyathurai Nadesan, who was gunned down in 2008. The vigil, organized by Sri Lankan media unions and human rights groups, served both as a remembrance and a call for justice in a country where impunity for crimes against journalists remains alarmingly high. Nadesan, known for his fearless reporting on corruption, human rights violations, and civil conflict in Sri Lanka’s northeast, was murdered in Batticaloa....

January 06, 2025 - Algeria - The arrest of Algerian freelance journalist and activist Abdelwakil Blamm marks a new low in the country’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom. Blamm was detained on December 29, 2024, near his home in Chéraga, Algiers, and later formally charged with “spreading false news,” “undermining national unity,” and alleged ties to a terrorist organization. His pretrial detention was ordered by the Sidi M’Hamed Court on January 6, 2025. Blamm is widely recognized for his vocal criticism of the government and his social media commentary, particularly through his Facebook page, which...

January 06, 2025 - Source - Syria -  Amid ongoing conflict and displacement, Syrian women have emerged as vital voices in journalism, courageously documenting the human toll of war. Since the uprising in 2011, many of these women—now internally displaced or living as refugees—have taken on frontline reporting roles to expose injustices and give voice to the silenced. One such figure is Sanaa Al-Ali, who fled Aleppo in 2012 with her children and resettled in rural Idlib. Amid bombings and constant threats, she began reporting on massacres and civilian suffering through social media. “I consider...

January 6, 2025 - India - In a troubling incident underscoring the dangers faced by journalists in India’s Chhattisgarh state, a forest officer was arrested on January 6, 2025, for allegedly threatening a reporter who exposed corruption at a forest check-post. The case reflects the growing pattern of intimidation and violence against media professionals in the region. The journalist, Sandip Shukla, had reported on January 1 about illegal extortion by forest staff at a check-post near Borai village, located in the Sitanadi Forest Range of Dhamtari district. The story, supported by video footage, alleged that...

January 6, 2025 - Palestine/Israel - Israeli forces killed 111 Palestinian journalists in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Journalists and Reporters Association. This brings the total number of Palestinian media workers killed since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023 to 202, making it one of the deadliest periods for journalists in modern history. The report highlights that journalists in Gaza have been targeted not only by direct attacks but also by indiscriminate bombing, often while wearing press insignia. Several high-profile journalists, such as Saed Abu Nabhan and Omar Al-Derawi, were killed in...

January 6, 2024 - Afghanistan - A new report by Amu TV and the Afghanistan Journalists in Exile network reveals a devastating picture of press freedom under Taliban rule. Since the group’s return to power in August 2021, at least 300 journalists and media workers have been detained, many subjected to violence and intimidation. Although only 200 have been identified publicly, the scope of repression is far broader, with most detainees unwilling to speak out due to fear of reprisal. In addition to mass detentions, 17 journalists have died, either killed or under suspicious circumstances,...

06 January 2025 - Egypt -  In a rare but welcome development, Egyptian authorities released three journalists in early January 2025 following an extensive campaign led by the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate (EJS) and supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The freed journalists—Abdul Qader Mubarak, Hussein Al-Qayim, and Hassan Al-Qabbani—had been imprisoned on charges widely seen as politically motivated. Mubarak and Al-Qayim were included in a presidential pardon issued on December 24, 2024, which covered 54 individuals from the Sinai region. Both were serving sentences handed down by military courts. The same day, journalist...

January 6, 2025 - Turkey - A recent report by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) highlights an alarming rise in press freedom cases in Turkey, with numerous journalists facing court proceedings during the week of January 6, 2025. These cases reflect an ongoing pattern of legal harassment and censorship targeting the country’s independent media. The week’s hearings span multiple cities and involve a wide array of charges. On January 6, a court in Antalya held the 22nd hearing in a long-running case against 17 individuals, including journalists Metin Cihan, Eylem Sonbahar, and Sema...

06 January 2025 - India -  The suspicious death of 24-year-old journalist Shubham Shukla in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, has sparked outrage and concern over rising violence against reporters in India. Shukla, who ran a local YouTube news channel, was found hanging near an e-rickshaw charging station on January 6, 2025. While police initially suggested suicide, his family and colleagues allege he was murdered following a violent altercation with associates of a local BJP councillor. The incident reportedly began a few days earlier, during a birthday celebration, when Shukla and his younger brother were assaulted by...

January 6, 2025 - Palestine/Israel - 21-year-old journalist Shatha al-Sabbagh was shot in the head and killed by a sniper while walking in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank—accompanied by her nephews—according to her family. They accuse the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces of responsibility. Al‑Sabbagh, who worked in media and reported on human rights violations during the PA’s crackdown on armed groups in Jenin, was allegedly targeted just a day after conducting interviews with victims of PA operations. Her mother was present when she was shot, and eyewitnesses say she collapsed...

06 January 2025 - Iran -  Iranian journalists are experiencing an intensifying wave of repression, with both domestic and diaspora reporters subjected to legal harassment, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation tactics targeting their families. A recent IranWire report reveals that in 2024 alone, Iranian authorities initiated at least 256 legal cases against journalists, including 36 arrests and 11 prison sentences. This crackdown is no longer limited to political journalists. It now extends to those reporting on environmental issues, economic challenges, and social unrest. Freelancers, online commentators, and journalists affiliated with international outlets have increasingly become targets...

January 6, 2025 - Palestine/Israel - In a powerful statement issued on January 6, 2025, human rights organization ARTICLE 19 condemned the ongoing violence and repression targeting journalists in Gaza and the West Bank amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian armed groups. The group warned that the deliberate targeting of journalists and press facilities not only violates international humanitarian law but could amount to war crimes. According to ARTICLE 19, at least 13 Palestinian journalists were killed in December 2024 and early January 2025 by Israeli airstrikes. One of the deadliest incidents involved...

January 6, 2025 - Palestine/Israel - The Palestinian Authority (PA) escalated its media restrictions by suspending several digital platforms operated by Al Jazeera, including aljazeera.net, aljazeera.net/live, aljazeera360.com, and global.ajplus.net, for a period of four months. The Ramallah Magistrate Court approved the suspension following a request from the Attorney General, citing alleged violations of cybercrime and press laws. Authorities accused the network of “inciting discord,” “threatening civil peace,” and “undermining national unity.” This move comes shortly after the PA shut down Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office and suspended its television broadcasts in the West Bank. The crackdown...

January 6, 2025 - Netherlands - In a troubling development for press freedom in one of Europe’s most open societies, the Netherlands recorded a significant rise in journalist harassment throughout 2024. According to a new report by PersVeilig—a Dutch initiative for journalist safety—218 incidents were documented last year, including 99 threats, 72 cases of intimidation or discrimination, and multiple physical assaults. This marks a sharp increase from previous years and reflects growing hostility toward the press amid heightened political polarization. The report reveals that journalists, especially women and those from minority backgrounds, have become frequent...

January 5, 2025 - Bangladesh - Bangladesh’s newly formed Media Reform Commission has issued a bold set of recommendations aimed at eliminating political bias in journalism and restoring public trust in the country's media. The commission, established under Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus in November 2024 and chaired by veteran journalist Kamal Ahmed, completed its 100-day review and published its findings in early 2025. One of the key issues highlighted was widespread political partisanship in media coverage, with nearly 80% of surveyed citizens expressing concerns about biased reporting. Many media outlets are known to align...

05 January 2025 - Yemen -  After nearly a decade of silence, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has confirmed the execution of Yemeni journalist Mohammed Qaed Al-Maqri, who had been forcibly disappeared since October 2015. Al-Maqri, a correspondent for Yemen Today TV, was abducted in Al-Mukalla, Hadhramaut, while covering protests against AQAP. His fate remained unknown until AQAP released a statement on December 28, 2024, announcing his execution along with 11 other detainees accused of espionage. The execution has drawn widespread condemnation from international press freedom organizations. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and...

January 05, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  A Palestinian journalist and poet, Mohammad Hijazi, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in the Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza, according to his family and Gaza’s Health Ministry. This tragic event brings the total death toll of journalists and media workers killed by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023, to approximately 220. This powerful declaration has now become both a haunting epitaph and a rallying cry against the targeting of journalists in Gaza. The latest Al Jazeera report, titled “I refuse a cheap death”, notes Hijazi was among nearly 90...

January 4, 2025 - India - The murder of 33-year-old journalist Mukesh Chandrakar in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district has sparked national outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of journalists investigating corruption. Chandrakar, a freelancer for NDTV and the YouTube channel “Bastar Junction,” had recently reported on a ₹120 crore road construction scam implicating local contractors and officials. He went missing on January 1, 2025, shortly after publishing his findings. Following a missing person report filed by his brother, police traced his location using CCTV footage and mobile data. On January 3, his body was discovered...