News

November 30, 2024 - Pakistan - Senior journalist and TV presenter Matiullah Jan was granted bail on November 30, 2024, by an Islamabad Anti‑Terrorism Court (ATC), along with a surety bond of PKR 10,000, following his arrest in a high-profile drug possession and terrorism case sparked three days earlier. On November 27, investigative reports state that Jan and his colleague Saqib Bashir were seized by unidentified individuals in black uniforms from a hospital parking lot while probing alleged casualties during a protest by supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Bashir was released after three hours, but...

November 30, 2024 - Sudan - Emmanuel Monychol Akop, editor-in-chief of The Dawn Daily in Juba, was detained without charge by South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) on November 28, 2024, after responding to a summons to its Juba headquarters. No warrant was presented, and the newspaper’s staff had no clarity on the reasons for his arrest. Under South Sudanese law, detainees must be brought before a court within 24 hours—an obligation NSS did not meet in this case. In the weeks following his disappearance, neither Akop’s family nor The Dawn staff could establish his...

November 29, 2024 - China - Shanghai authorities detained Zhang Zhan—widely known for her reporting from Wuhan in early 2020—under the charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a vague offense frequently used against dissidents. This re‑arrest followed her release in May after completing a four-year sentence stemming from her independent pandemic coverage. Zhang’s initial imprisonment began in December 2020 when she was convicted of “fabricating” stories about Wuhan’s pandemic response, including claims that residents paid COVID‑19 testing fees and were provided rotten food during quarantine. She pleaded not guilty, and human rights groups noted Shanghai...

November 30, 2024 - Palestine - Since the war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, Palestinian journalists have faced unprecedented danger. As of December 1, 2024, the Gaza government media office reported 191 journalists killed—a number since revised upward to 192 and 193 in official counts. On November 30, journalist Mamdouh Ibrahim Qanaita, an editor at Al‑Aqsa Channel, was killed in a drone strike while leaving the Baptist Hospital courtyard in Gaza City. Eyewitnesses say he was shot in the head, and the Gaza government media office denounced it as part of “systematic targeting”....

November 29, 2024 - China/Europe - The European Parliament overwhelmingly adopted a resolution condemning Hong Kong and Chinese authorities for the ongoing erosion of fundamental rights under the National Security Law (NSL). Passed by 473 votes to 23 with 98 abstentions, the resolution urgently calls for the “immediate and unconditional release” of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai and other detained journalists and pro-democracy activists. The resolution highlights numerous violations: over 200 people have been arrested under the NSL, and legal abuse continues. Lai, who has been in custody since August 2020, faces life imprisonment and has...

November 29, 2024 - Nigeria - Investigative journalist and FIJ founder Fisayo Soyombo was detained by the Nigerian Army’s 6th Division during an anti–illegal oil-bunkering raid at a site near Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The army confirmed his arrest, alleging he was among the individuals apprehended at the operation site, and seized his devices. Soyombo’s employer, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, initially reported his disappearance and expressed deep concern about the seizure of his equipment and lack of communication, warning that as a journalist, his safety might be jeopardized. The arrest provoked widespread criticism. Media watchdogs,...

November 29, 2024 - Palestine/UK - British Foreign Secretary David Lammy faced strong backlash after stating there were “no journalists in Gaza” during a UK Parliament session—a remark widely denounced as inaccurate and insensitive. The comment drew immediate attention from Middle East Eye, which questioned Lammy’s awareness of the journalists killed or working amid the conflict. Lammy’s assertion sparked criticism, particularly from British and international media watchdogs, who pointed out that numerous Palestinian journalists were active in Gaza despite facing extreme danger. Social media, including Twitter/X, quickly echoed dismay over what was seen as a...

November 29, 2024 - Russia/Ukraine - Ukrainska Pravda freelance writer Viktoriia Roshchyna, aged 27, disappeared on August 3, 2023, while reporting in occupied Zaporizhzhia for stories on Russian-held prisons. Russia officially confirmed her detention in May 2024 and notified her family of her death in October 2024—but only after months of silence. Investigations by Forbidden Stories, Ukrainska Pravda, The Guardian, and others revealed that Roshchyna was secretly moved through a series of facilities: from Melitopol to Taganrog’s SIZO-2 prison, without access to lawyers or family, and out of official records. When her body was repatriated in...

November 29, 2024 - Georgia - Georgian police violently cracked down on journalists covering anti-government protests in Tbilisi, prompting alarm from media watchdogs and human rights groups. The protests, centered around opposition to the ruling Georgian Dream party’s political direction and stalled EU integration efforts, saw dozens of journalists physically assaulted, detained, or obstructed while reporting on the ground. According to Civil.ge, numerous journalists were attacked despite wearing visible press identification. Footage from the scene shows riot police using batons, pepper spray, and water cannons indiscriminately, with reporters from Formula TV, TV Pirveli, Radio Free...

November 28, 2024 - China - In a closed-door trial on November 29, 2024, veteran Chinese journalist and former Guangming Daily editor Dong Yuyu was sentenced to seven years in prison on dubious espionage charges linked to meetings with Japanese diplomats. Dong, 62, was detained in February 2022 while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat and kept in prolonged secret custody. Authorities did not publicly charge him until March 2023, accusing him of passing intelligence via his “suspicious” meetings, without presenting any substantive evidence. A prominent commentator and moderate voice within state media, Dong advocated for reform and the rule...

November 28, 2024 - Lebanon - Lebanon’s parliament began drafting a new media law to replace the Publications Law of 1962 and the 1994 Audiovisual Law. However, as scrutinized by the Coalition to Defend Freedom of Expression and Amnesty International, the proposed legislation is fraught with provisions that could severely restrict free speech, entrench state control, and punish dissent. A central concern is the re-criminalization of defamation and insult, including protections for “heads of state,” ambassadors, and recognized religions, with penalties of up to three years in prison and hefty fines, raising the stakes for...

November 28, 2024 - Turkey - Turkish authorities launched widespread raids across four cities—Eskişehir, Diyarbakır, Batman, Sakarya, and Istanbul—detaining 18 individuals, including nine journalists, writers, poets, filmmakers, and cartoonists, in what prosecutors described as “membership in a terrorist organisation,” “terror propaganda,” and “financing terrorism”. Among those arrested was Bianet reporter Tuğçe Yılmaz, questioned over recurring freelance contributions to pro‑Kurdish outlet Yeni Özgür Politika between 2017 and 2020, as well as social media activity and a recent interview with philosopher Michael Hardt. Others from Diyarbakır—journalists like Sultan Mercen (known as Roza Metina), cartoonist Doğan Güzel, writer Ömer...

November 28, 2024 - Palestine - Al Jazeera journalist Talal Mahmoud Abdul Rahman Aruki, one of six correspondents named by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in October 2024 as alleged militants, was wounded in Gaza, further highlighting the peril faced by media professionals in the region. In a statement circulated on social media, IDF claimed Aruki and five others were embedded with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad—labels that Al Jazeera firmly rejects as baseless and dangerous misinformation. The network argues these false allegations are being used to justify targeting its journalists and suppressing independent reporting in Gaza....

November 28, 2024 - Pakistan - Veteran Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan was arrested in Islamabad under serious charges, including terrorism, drug possession, and assaulting law enforcement. The arrest occurred after Jan and fellow journalist Saqib Bashir were taken by men in black uniforms from the parking lot of PIMS Hospital. While Bashir was released hours later, Jan was held without communication and transferred into police custody the following day. Authorities claimed Jan rammed a checkpoint, assaulted a police officer, and was found in possession of 246 grams of methamphetamine. He was charged under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism...

November 28, 2024 - Kazakhstan - Investigative journalist Daniyar Adilbekov was handed a harsh 4½‑year prison sentence on October 18, 2024, by the Astana interdistrict court, convicted under criminal charges of “knowingly false denunciation” and “disseminating false information” through his Telegram channel “Wild Horde”. The charges stemmed from his October 2023 posts alleging corruption involving high‑ranking officials—Vice Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Astana Airport board chairman Yusuf Aljawder, and journalist Gulzhan Yergaliyeva. Adilbekov was arrested in late March 2024 and remained in custody throughout the trial. His appeal is scheduled in Astana, where rights groups stress that he...

November 27, 2024 - Serbia - Serbian journalist Jelena Mirković of N1 TV was physically assaulted while covering a pro-government protest in Belgrade, marking a troubling escalation in attacks on independent media. Mirković, along with cameraman Aleksandar Cvrkotić, was shoved, struck, and verbally harassed by protesters. The assailants attempted to snatch her microphone, and the camera was damaged during the altercation. Mirković sustained a shoulder injury and later described the attack as the most violent incident in her decade-long career. This assault follows a disturbing pattern. Earlier in November, another N1 crew was attacked during...

November 27, 2024 - Afghanistan - The United Nations has issued a scathing report urging the Taliban to end its systematic repression of journalists and ensure media freedom in Afghanistan. Covering the period from August 15, 2021, to September 30, 2024, the joint report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documents 336 cases of human rights violations against Afghan media professionals. These include 256 instances of arbitrary arrest and detention, 81 incidents of ill-treatment or torture, and 75 cases of threats and...

November 27, 2024 - Spain/Algeria - Spanish authorities and lawmakers are grappling with the fallout of the attempted abduction of Algerian opposition journalist Hichem Aboud, who was forcibly taken in Barcelona in October 2024. Aboud, a prominent critic of the Algerian regime and former military officer, was reportedly kidnapped by men in balaclavas and driven across the country in an apparent attempt to smuggle him to Algeria by boat. The operation was interrupted by the Spanish Civil Guard near the Guadalquivir River in Lebrija, where Aboud was found bound and gagged. The kidnapping has raised...

November 27, 2024 - Pakistan - During the climax of the “Final Call” protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Islamabad’s Red Zone, dozens of journalists and media staff were physically attacked by PTI supporters, marking a disturbing escalation in press violence. Among those assaulted was Mohammad Yousaf, an Associated Press cameraman, who was struck on the head with an iron rod while covering events near G-10 Srinagar Highway. His equipment was also vandalized. Female reporter Quratul Ain was pushed and injured near Express Chowk. Numerous other journalists from both domestic and foreign outlets reported being...

November 27, 2024 - Palestine - The Gaza Strip has become the deadliest place in the world for journalists, with the Association of Oil and Human Rights (AOHR) reporting that 190 Palestinian media workers have been killed by Israeli forces since the war began on October 7, 2023. The figure underscores what many rights groups and press freedom advocates are calling a systematic and deliberate campaign against journalists operating in the besieged enclave. Among the latest casualties is journalist Alaa Fawzy Barhoum, whose death further inflamed calls for international investigations. While the AOHR figure is...

November 27, 2024 - Russia - Russian journalist Nika Novak was sentenced to four years in prison by a court in Chita, Siberia, under Article 275.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which criminalizes “confidential cooperation with a foreign organization.” The verdict marks a troubling escalation in the Kremlin’s crackdown on independent journalism and foreign-affiliated media. Novak, a freelance reporter and former editor at ChitaMedia, had contributed to U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Russian authorities accused her of publishing “inaccurate material” aimed at discrediting the Russian armed forces—charges rooted in her reporting on alleged military...

November 27, 2024 - Palestine/Israel - Al‑Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Talal Mahmoud Abdul Rahman Aruki was wounded while covering Israeli air and drone strikes near the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The assault occurred as Aruki documented ambulances and health officials responding to civilian casualties. Despite wearing visible “Press” markings, he was struck by shrapnel that hit his head, right hand, and leg. Colleagues described the incident as a deliberate targeting of an identified media professional. Israeli military officials had previously labeled Aruki, along with five other Al‑Jazeera journalists, as militant operatives—a claim that Al‑Jazeera...

November 27, 2024 - Israel - Only hours into a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on a group of clearly identified journalists in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam. The incident occurred as reporters were documenting the Israeli military’s withdrawal operations and the civilian return to conflict-affected areas. The attack left at least two journalists injured, one working for the Associated Press and another for the Russian outlet Sputnik. Eyewitnesses described the moment the ceasefire was shattered. Abdelkader Bay, one of the wounded journalists, recounted how gunfire erupted as they...

November 27, 2024 - Germany/Russia - The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of two German journalists—Frank Aischmann, ARD’s Moscow correspondent, and Sven Feller, his cameraman—in what it called a “reciprocal measure.” The move was framed as retaliation against Germany’s decision not to renew visas for two Russian state media reporters working for Channel One in Berlin. While Germany cited local administrative procedures as the reason, Russia labeled the act as politically motivated and responded by stripping the German journalists of their accreditation. The expulsions are part of a growing trend of tit-for-tat actions between...

November 27, 2024 - Turkey - Türkiye is facing renewed criticism from international press freedom groups over its continued detention and judicial harassment of journalists. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained media professionals, warning that the Turkish government is increasingly using legal tactics—such as conditional releases and restrictive judicial measures—as a substitute for outright imprisonment. One prominent case is that of Roza Metina, editor at the Kurdish feminist news agency JinNews, who was arrested on charges related to alleged links with the banned Democratic...