News

February 25, 2026 - General - A high-profile legal challenge has opened before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) in London, where veteran RTÉ journalist Vincent Kearney alleges that UK authorities subjected him to decades-long unlawful surveillance while he was a correspondent for the BBC. The tribunal heard detailed claims that intelligence services and police forces, including MI5, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and the Metropolitan Police, repeatedly accessed Kearney’s communications data in an effort to identify his confidential sources and monitor his reporting activities. Kearney, who now serves as Northern Editor for RTÉ...

February 25, 2026 - Nigeria - In a bid to widen affordable healthcare access in the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has extended free health insurance coverage to 150 journalists based in Abuja. The programme was announced by Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), during a meeting with a delegation from the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT chapter led by its chairperson, Grace Ike. Fasawe described the media as a strategic partner in public health advocacy and noted that equipping journalists with health insurance...

February 25, 2026 - Bangladesh - Widespread protests broke out in Dhaka, Bangladesh, after police assaulted journalists and Dhaka University (DU) students during an anti-drug operation at Suhrawardy Udyan on 23 February 2026, drawing public criticism of law-enforcement conduct and concerns about press freedom and civil liberties. Demonstrators are demanding accountability, justice for the victims, and reforms to police procedures. The confrontation occurred when officers from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) executed an anti-narcotics drive involving roughly 70 uniformed personnel. Journalists covering the event — including Tofayel Ahmed of Banglanews24.com and Kawsar Ahmed Ripon of...

February 24, 2026 - India - The Government of India has taken steps to restrict access to the news website Middle East Eye within the country following controversial social media posts by one of the outlet’s journalists about the Israel–Palestine conflict, according to official and media reports. The move — framed by authorities as addressing content that “threatens public order” — has sparked debate over digital censorship and press freedom, particularly in contexts involving international commentary on sensitive geopolitical issues. In formal orders issued in late February 2026, Indian internet service providers were instructed to...

February 24, 2026 - Kosovo - Kosovo authorities have formally indicted a man accused of threatening several journalists inside a courtroom during a high-profile trial, prosecutors announced on March 2, 2026, in Pristina. The move comes after video footage surfaced showing the suspect hurling insults and intimidating language at media workers covering the hearing, drawing criticism from press freedom and civil society groups. The suspect, identified as B.M., was charged with threats and intimidation under Kosovo’s criminal code for his conduct during proceedings at the District Court of Pristina last year. In the widely circulated...

February 24, 2026 - Ukraine - Journalist advocacy organisations are calling for urgent international backing to sustain a network of Journalists’ Solidarity Centers across Ukraine, which are providing critical safety, legal, and technical support to reporters working amid Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion. The appeal, endorsed by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in late February 2026, emphasises that the centers are now facing a significant funding gap that threatens their continued operation as frontline press support hubs. Established in 2022 in partnership between the National Union of Journalists...

February 24, 2026 - Turkey -  An Ankara criminal court of peace has sentenced seven journalists to 18-day prison terms after convicting them of unlawfully recording audio or video during the Kobani trial’s final hearing held on 16 May 2024, a ruling that has alarmed press freedom advocates and expanded concerns about judicial restraint on independent reporting. The sentences were handed down on 24 February 2026 after a summary procedure, with reductions applied to the initial penalties. The journalists convicted include Damla Kırmızıtaş, Derya Okatan Albayrak, Fatih Polat, Fırat Can Arslan, Handan Ceren Bayar, Hüseyin...

February 24, 2026 - Canada/Mexico - Former CBC News journalist Andy Wilson has recounted harrowing experiences of explosions, gunshots, and widespread violence in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, as cartel-related clashes erupted in the coastal city following a major security operation, according to recent media reports. Wilson’s eyewitness account provides a vivid perspective on the sudden escalation of violence that disrupted daily life in a popular tourist destination. Wilson, who was in Puerto Vallarta on February 22, 2026, told reporters that he was watching a men’s Olympic hockey game on television in a bar when “loud explosions...

February 24, 2026 - Ukraine/Russia - Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has lodged a landmark criminal complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Ukrainian Prosecutor General alleging that Russian authorities have systematically persecuted journalists in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The action, announced in February 2026, marks the first time RSF has framed attacks on media professionals as crimes against humanity due to their work. According to RSF’s complaint, Kremlin forces have deliberately targeted journalists and media infrastructure as part of a broader pattern of repression, not sporadic...

February 24, 2026 - Bangladesh - Several journalists and students were injured, and officers are now facing scrutiny after a controversial anti-drug operation conducted by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on the evening of 23 February 2026. The incident has sparked protests, disciplinary action, and debate over police conduct during law-enforcement operations in public spaces. Police from the Ramna Zone executed what authorities described as a routine “anti-narcotics drive,” deploying about 60-70 personnel and detaining seven to eight individuals. During the operation, multimedia reporters Tofayel Ahmed of Banglanews24.com and Kawsar...

February 24, 2026 - Zimbabwe -  A Zimbabwean journalist has been detained for a week under controversial charges that press freedom advocates say are being used to punish reporting on corruption and limit critical media coverage. Gideon Madzikatidze, a reporter with the online outlet Bulawayo24, has been in custody since February 18, 2026, after authorities accused him of cyberbullying and broadcasting without a license in connection with an article that alleged bribery by a local business. Madzikatidze’s continued detention has drawn swift condemnation from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which reiterated its long-standing concerns...

February 23, 2026 - India - A protest rally was held in Point Pedro, Sri Lanka, on 23 February 2026, marking 19 years since the enforced disappearance of veteran Tamil journalist Subramaniam Ramachandran. Journalists, relatives of the missing, civil society representatives, religious leaders, and members of the public gathered to demand truth, accountability, and justice in a case that remains unresolved nearly two decades after he vanished. Organised by the Vadamarachchi Media House and supported by concerned local groups, the demonstration took place at the Point Pedro central bus stand and drew dozens of participants...

February 23, 2026 - General - Veteran golf broadcaster Jimmy Roberts has been named the 2026 Tim Rosaforte Distinguished Journalist Award recipient, recognising his long-standing contribution to golf journalism and media excellence, organisers announced ahead of this year’s Cognizant Classic in Fowler, Indiana. The accolade is one of the sport’s most prestigious media honours and celebrates lifetime achievement in golf reporting and broadcasting. Roberts, a seasoned on-air personality with decades of experience covering professional golf for major outlets including NBC Sports and the Golf Channel, will be presented the award during tournament week in June....

February 23, 2026 - USA - An independent journalist has reported serious concerns about living and medical conditions inside Camp East Montana, an immigration detention facility in El Paso, Texas, after speaking directly with detainees during recent visits to the site. The accounts have renewed scrutiny of conditions at the facility, which is operated under the authority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has been the subject of mounting criticism from advocates and lawmakers. The journalist, Nick Valencia, a former CNN correspondent now working independently, said he entered the facility while assisting an attorney...

February 23, 2026 - Turkey - Turkish authorities have kept journalist Ali Barış Kurt behind bars for more than three months beyond his scheduled release, after a prison administrative board denied his conditional release on the basis that he had not shown “remorse,” according to rights monitors. The case highlights ongoing concerns over parole practices and judicial discretion in Turkey, where journalists have frequently faced detention related to their professional activities. Kurt, who had been serving a sentence in a Maltepe district prison in İstanbul, was initially expected to be released in November 2025 following...

February 23, 2026 - Syria - Alaa Mohammed, a Syrian journalist and civic commentator, was found shot dead inside his home in the Qardaha countryside of Latakia Province on February 21, 2026, just hours after posting a video sharply criticising the performance of the interim government and its military and political structures, local monitors and media reported. The circumstances surrounding his death have raised alarm among press freedom advocates and human rights observers. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and reports from local sources, Mohammed recorded and shared a live broadcast on...

February 23, 2026 - Azerbaijan - A contentious court case targeting journalists from the independent outlet Meydan TV is ongoing in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, as defendants and rights observers raise serious concerns about courtroom procedures, pre-trial treatment, and broader implications for press freedom in the country. The trial, which began after mass arrests in late 2024, has drawn attention from international media freedom organisations and civil society groups. The Meydan TV case originated in December 2024, when six journalists were detained and later formally charged with “smuggling committed by a group of persons by prior...

February 23, 2026 - Australia - Australian authorities are weighing whether to refuse a visa to Israeli journalist and commentator Zvi Yehezkeli, after inflammatory comments he made about the 2023 conflict between Israel and Hamas sparked diplomatic controversy and raised questions about public entry standards for foreign media figures. The deliberation was reported on February 23, 2026, as Yehezkeli sought to travel to Australia for a series of appearances in Sydney and Melbourne. Yehezkeli, a TV journalist and Arab affairs analyst with Israeli broadcaster i24NEWS, previously asserted on air that Israel should have killed 100,000...

February 23, 2026 - Turkey -  Veteran Turkish journalist Cüneyt Özdemir, on a personal trip to Mexico, has become effectively stranded amid a surge of cartel-related violence that erupted after Mexican authorities announced the death of a major cartel leader, according to recent regional reporting. Özdemir, known for decades of international reporting, including conflict zones and political crises, is currently navigating transport disruptions and intensifying insecurity as clashes spread across multiple states. The turmoil followed a Mexican military operation that reportedly killed Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, the long-time head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel...

February 22, 2026 - Cambodia -  Two Cambodian journalists have been handed 14-year prison sentences on treason charges linked to their coverage of a border clash with Thailand, and have now formally appealed those convictions, drawing widespread condemnation from press freedom organisations and rights groups. The sentences and ongoing legal battle are unfolding within a broader crackdown on independent reporting in Cambodia. Journalists Phorn Sopheap of Battambang Post TV Online and Pheap Pheara of TSP 68 TV Online were arrested separately on July 31, 2025, after returning from covering clashes in Oddar Meanchey province along...

February 22, 2026 - General - An investigation by The Guardian has revealed that a senior lobbyist who produced a controversial report for the British political thinktank Labour Together allegedly sought information on a journalist from The Guardian as part of research into media figures who had criticised or reported on the organisation’s funding and activities. The disclosures add new dimensions to an ongoing political controversy that has drawn scrutiny from both press freedom advocates and UK lawmakers. At the centre of the issue is Labour Together, a London-based thinktank closely tied to the Labour...

February 22, 2026 - Palestine - The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate has raised serious concerns about the deteriorating health of journalist Mujahed Bani Mufleh following his release from Israeli detention, saying his condition worsened rapidly after he was freed and subsequently hospitalised in Ramallah. The syndicate has placed responsibility for his health crisis on Israeli authorities and urged international action. Bani Mufleh, 36, and a father of three, had spent seven months in Israeli custody before being released about one month ago. According to the syndicate’s statement, he was transferred to Istishari Hospital shortly after his...

February 21, 2026 - Palestine - Israeli security forces disrupted reporting by Al Jazeera and other broadcasters at the Qalandiya checkpoint in the occupied West Bank on February 20, 2026, interrupting live coverage of Palestinians attempting to travel for the first Friday noon prayers of Ramadan. The incident has amplified longstanding concerns about press access and safety for journalists covering sensitive developments in the region’s volatile environment. Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh and her crew were on location filming crowds of worshippers bound for Al Aqsa Mosque when Israeli personnel blocked camera views and obstructed...

February 21, 2026 - Iran/US - Reza Valizadeh, a dual U.S.–Iranian journalist, has spent more than a year in Iranian detention, and his continued imprisonment highlights the complex intersection of press freedom, diplomatic negotiations, and geopolitical tensions between Tehran and Washington. Valizadeh’s case is now entangled with broader discussions about potential U.S.–Iran agreements and how these diplomatic moves might affect individuals held in Iran. Valizadeh, 49, who worked for years as a broadcaster with Radio Farda — the Persian-language service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty funded by the U.S. government — travelled to Iran in...

February 21, 2026 - |ndia - Journalists in Bengaluru, Karnataka, protested this week against a government directive that significantly restricts their movement and reporting access inside the Vidhana Soudha legislative complex, sparking a broader debate about press freedom and transparency in a key Indian state. The controversy, which has drawn sharp political criticism and formal objections from media bodies, opposition parties, and civil society groups, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing dialogue over democratic access and security policy. The Karnataka government’s Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) issued a letter earlier this month...