News

November 12, 2025 - Mexico -  In a chilling act of intimidation, crime reporter Paco Cedeño, known for his coverage of public safety issues in the eastern Mexican state of Morelos, was targeted with a direct death threat when a human head was discovered beside a sign addressed to him. Residents alerted authorities in the municipality of Cuautla on 10 November after spotting the grotesque scene along the Mexico–Oaxaca highway: a severed head placed next to a handwritten message apparently signed by a criminal organisation, threatening the journalist by name. Cedeño operates the news portal pacocedeño.com...

November 12, 2025 - Iran -  Three Iranian journalists have been arrested after covering the case of 20-year-old university student Ahmad Baledi, who died following a self-immolation protest in the southwestern city of Ahvaz. The arrests come in the wake of the demolition of his family’s kiosk by municipal agents and police officers on November 2, 2025. According to reporting by IranWire, the journalists—identified as Hassan Salamat, Javad Saedi, and Seyed Sadegh Alboshokeh—were detained after documenting Baledi’s critical condition in the hospital and the broader protests triggered by his act. The three were reportedly held...

November 12, 2025 - Cameroon -  Freelance journalist and documentary filmmaker Hans Achomba has been missing since November 5, 2025, prompting urgent appeals from press-freedom groups for Cameroonian authorities to launch an immediate and transparent investigation. Based in Bamenda, Achomba is known for covering politically sensitive issues in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, including security abuses, electoral tensions, and government accountability. His disappearance was first reported by the International Press Institute (IPI) on November 11, which warned that the circumstances surrounding the case suggest a serious threat to his safety and potentially to press freedom itself. Two...

November 11, 2025 - Kyrgyzstan -  The independent press environment in Kyrgyzstan is under serious threat as authorities move to label major investigative media outlets as “extremist” and apply sweeping legislation against journalists critical of the government. According to civil-society organisation ARTICLE 19, a district court in the capital Bishkek on 27 October 2025 declared three prominent outlets—Kloop, Temirov Live, and Ayt Ayt Dese—along with their founders, to be “extremist organisations”, thereby banning their operations and rendering any engagement with their content potentially criminal. The ruling cited vaguely defined offences such as “information extremism” and...

November 11, 2025 - Ireland -  The trade union National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has delivered a detailed submission to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in response to its call for evidence on policing and security in Northern Ireland. The union’s document highlights enduring threats to press freedom and the safety of journalists, particularly concerning covert surveillance practices. In its submission, the NUJ urges the UK Government to enact legislation creating a dedicated Commissioner for Covert Law Enforcement in Northern Ireland, endowed with the authority to oversee covert policing techniques. It also calls for an...

November 11, 2025 - Turkey -  Turkish journalist and political commentator Sedef Kabaş has been sentenced to 10 months in prison after a court in Istanbul convicted her of “spreading false information” over a social-media post referencing the Central Bank President. The sentencing, detailed by IFEX and local rights monitors, marks yet another flashpoint in Türkiye’s escalating crackdown on dissenting journalism and highlights the sweeping reach of the country’s disinformation legislation. Kabaş, a well-known media figure with decades of experience, was prosecuted under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code — a provision introduced in...

November 11, 2025 - Palestine/Austria - A Dutch court has authorised the extradition of Palestinian journalist Mustafa Ayyash, founder of the news site Gaza Now, to Austria after Austrian authorities presented sufficient grounds for his transfer. Ayyash, who has denied the allegations, fled Austria earlier this year, claiming his pregnant wife was mistreated during a raid on their home. Ayyash is accused by Austrian prosecutors of financing Hamas through the operations of Gaza Now, a charge that the U.S. and U.K. echoed in sanctions against the outlet in 2024 for purportedly providing material support to...

November 11, 2025 - Russia/Ukraine - The Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has initiated the creation of a temporary investigative commission to probe violations committed by Russian forces against journalists during the ongoing war. The proposal, outlined in a draft parliament resolution, was submitted for consideration on November 13, 2025. The commission is tasked with collecting evidence, identifying perpetrators, and recommending measures for accountability and media protection. The initiative was welcomed by the Institute of Mass Information (IMI), which noted that the resolution responds to growing concern over the scale of targeted attacks on Ukrainian...

November 10, 2025 - Honduras -  An independent media outlet in Honduras, Criterio.hn, faces escalating threats, surveillance, and digital attacks as the political climate grows increasingly hostile toward journalists. According to reports compiled by the Red Centroamericana de Periodistas (RCP) and the rights-group Artículo 19, the outlet’s team has endured smear campaigns, hack attempts, and ongoing monitoring—tactics linked to efforts to suppress their reporting. The documented harassment coincides with Honduras’ lead-up to national elections, a period when scrutiny of political figures, human-rights issues, and corruption often triggers backlash. Criterio.hn’s coverage of sensitive topics has made...

November 10, 2025 - Australia -  At the recent 2025 WA Media Awards held in Perth, journalists from Seven West Media delivered a dominant performance by securing 13 awards across multiple categories. On television, the network’s team from 7NEWS Perth swept every category. Political Editor Geof Parry was honoured as a co-winner of the West Australian Journalist of the Year award, while the print team at The West Australian secured the Best News Photograph for the third consecutive year. In the print and digital space, several standout achievements were noted. State Political Editor Jessica Page...

November 10, 2025 - Nigeria -  Publisher Friday Alefia of the online news portal Naija News Today has been detained for more than six weeks without trial by the Nigeria Police Force, before being scheduled for a court appearance amid mounting concerns over press freedom in Nigeria. He was arrested in Lagos on 23 September after officers traced a caretaker’s phone to his residence in Ikorodu. A five-count charge sheet dated 8 October accuses Alefia and his company of publishing false reports about lawmaker Chinedu Ogah through social-media platforms, including Facebook, in alleged violation of...

November 10, 2025 - Libya -  Rights organisations are raising alarm over the deteriorating conditions for journalists in Libya, where antiquated media laws, fragmented state authority, and widespread impunity have created an environment of chronic risk for the press. In a joint statement titled “Libya: Impunity for crimes against journalists must end”, ARTICLE 19 and allied groups detailed how journalists have been relentlessly exposed to threats, arrests, disappearances, and violence for the past decade. The media sector remains governed in part by legacy legislation such as the 1972 Publications Law (Law No. 76), which carries...

November 10, 2025 - Palestine -  The Foreign Press Association (FPA) has publicly demanded urgent intervention by Israeli authorities following multiple assaults by settlers on journalists covering the olive-harvest season in the occupied West Bank. The association, which represents international correspondents in Israel and the Palestinian territories, condemned the attacks as evidence of a growing “climate of hostility” toward the press. According to FPA, both local and foreign journalists have become explicit targets while documenting what the association calls “an unprecedented level of unchecked violence” against Palestinians during this year’s harvest. Among the cited incidents...

November 10, 2025 - Philippines -  A Philippine regional court has quashed the murder charges filed against community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, providing a significant victory in her long-running legal battle after almost six years in detention. The decision, announced on 6 November 2025, was welcomed by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and its coalition of media-freedom partners, who also urged authorities to drop all remaining charges against her. Cumpio, aged 26, was arrested in February 2020 on charges of illegal firearms possession and financing terrorism, alongside the now‐dismissed murder and attempted murder accusations...

November 10, 2025 - Cambodia -  In Cambodia, the culture of impunity for crimes against journalists has reached alarming levels. A joint statement published on 1 November 2025 by multiple civil-society organisations calls on the Royal Government of Cambodia to urgently address the absence of meaningful investigations and prosecutions for attacks on media professionals. According to monitoring by the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association, between January and September 2025 alone there were 47 documented human-rights violations against journalists and media outlets, of which 37 involved legal harassment—such as interrogations, arrests and pre-trial detention. Five outlets had...

November 09, 2025 - France/Russia -  The death of French photojournalist Antoni Lallican, killed on October 3 2025 by a Russian FPV drone in Ukraine’s Donbas region, has prompted serious questions about the response from the French government. Lallican, aged 37, was embedded near the front line with Ukraine’s 4th Armoured Brigade and wearing press identification when the strike occurred alongside his Ukrainian colleague, Georgiy Ivanchenko, who was seriously injured. France’s National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor opened a “war crimes” investigation into the killing on October 5 via the Central Office for the Fight Against Crimes Against Humanity...

November 09, 2025 - Ukraine/Russia -  On November 8, 2025, a Russian FPV drone struck a humanitarian evacuation vehicle belonging to the aid organization Proliska in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The attack occurred near Kostiantynivka as the team, which included volunteers and two foreign journalists—an Austrian reporter from ORF and a Spanish correspondent—was returning from delivering aid in the front-line area. The vehicle, a white armored SUV marked with Proliska’s emblem and a clear humanitarian sign, was hit at the entrance to the town of Novoselivka. According to eyewitness accounts from Proliska’s regional head, Yevhen Tkachov,...

November 08, 2025 - Afghanistan - Afghan journalist Salma Niazi, founder and editor-in-chief of The Afghan Times, has been honoured with two prestigious global awards for her unwavering commitment to press freedom and courageous reporting under oppressive conditions. She is the recipient of the 2025 One Young World Journalist of the Year Award, which recognises outstanding journalists under 35 who drive meaningful change in their communities through storytelling. In addition, she has been awarded the Lyra McKee Award for Bravery, a tribute to journalists who demonstrate extraordinary courage in the pursuit of truth. Following the...

November 09, 2025 - General -  The Al Jazeera Media Institute offers a dedicated Fellowship programme designed to foster high-calibre research and professional development within journalism. Hosted under the umbrella of Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN), the initiative aims to equip mid-career journalists and scholars with hands-on experience in newsroom practices while delivering original academic work on media and journalism themes. The Fellowship is structured in two phases: a remote preparation phase where fellows submit a research plan and introduction, followed by an on-site phase based at AJMN headquarters, culminating in a 7,000-word research paper....

November 09, 2025 - Palestine -  The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has released a stark report documenting the killing of 44 Palestinian journalists inside displacement tents in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israeli offensive that began in October 2023 and continued through October 2025. The deaths are reported as part of a broader toll of 254 media workers killed within the same period, according to the syndicate’s Freedoms Committee. The report details how journalists, already among displaced populations, were forced into tents near hospitals and schools following bombing of homes and infrastructure. These tents, intended as...

November 09, 2025 - Palestine -  The Israel Katz‐led Ministry of Defence in Israel has instituted a new directive restricting senior army officers from briefing journalists without first obtaining the minister’s explicit consent. According to Israeli media reports, Katz ordered the prohibition in response to recent unsanctioned interactions between military commanders and the press. The rule applies to all officers above a specified rank, mandating that any proposed meeting with a journalist or media outlet must be communicated in advance to Katz’s office. Details required include the name of the officer, the interviewer or media...

November 08, 2025 - Azerbaijan - Journalist Nargiz Absalamova, currently serving an eight-year prison sentence in Azerbaijan, has been honoured with the 2025 Free Media Awards in recognition of her fearless work with Abzas Media. The award ceremony took place on 6 November in Hamburg and was accepted on Absalamova’s behalf by Abzas Media director Gunel Safarova. Fritt Ord, in collaboration with Germany’s ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius, presents the Free Media Awards to journalists who uphold freedom of expression amid intense political pressure. In her acceptance message from prison, Absalamova reflected on how incarceration transformed her...

November 08, 2025 - Palestine -  On Saturday in the occupied West Bank near the village of Beita, south of Nablus, Palestinian farmers, foreign activists, and journalists came under assault by dozens of masked Israeli settlers during the annual olive-harvest period that began in October. The crowd had gathered for the harvest and documentation of the season when the out-post-based group launched a coordinated attack, throwing large rocks and beating participants with sticks and clubs. Among the victims were two employees of the international news agency Reuters—journalist Raneen Sawafta and security adviser Grant Bowden—both marked...

November 08, 2025 - Venezuela/USA -  A Venezuelan journalist residing in Florida was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly two weeks after being stopped by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) during a routine traffic operation in mid-October. The journalist, identified as Gustavo Giménez Sánchez, who is seeking asylum in the United States, was initially detained after the trooper alertly questioned his immigration status following the stop. Following his arrest, Giménez Sánchez was transferred into ICE custody and held at a detention centre outside Miami, where he reportedly experienced harsh conditions and...

November 08, 2025 - Niger -  In a staggering escalation of press suppression, three journalists in Niger remain behind bars after being charged under the country’s sweeping cybercrime law for allegedly sharing an invitation to a government media briefing. On October 30, the Kyimen Capital Police arrested veteran broadcast manager Ibro Chaïbou of RTS, publishing director Youssouf Sériba of Les Échos du Niger, and editor-founder Oumarou Abou Kané of the satirical magazine Le Hérisson after they forwarded a WhatsApp invitation to a press conference hosted by the Solidarity Fund for the Safeguarding of the Homeland...