News

June 23, 2023 - Ukraine /Russia - Ukrainian journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, detained for over four years in Russian-occupied Crimea, was released on June 23, 2025, in what press freedom advocates have hailed as a rare but powerful victory for free expression. A contributor to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Krym. Realii, Yesypenko had been arrested by Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agents in March 2021 while reporting in Simferopol. He was later convicted in a closed military court on charges of espionage and possession of explosives, accusations widely condemned as politically motivated. Yesypenko’s case drew international...

June 23, 2025 - USA -  Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S. government-funded international broadcasters are facing a dramatic overhaul under the leadership of Trump ally Kari Lake, prompting widespread concern over press freedom, international diplomacy, and journalistic independence. Nearly 639 employees—almost half of VOA's workforce—have received layoff notices, and numerous foreign journalists working under special U.S. visas have been told to prepare for dismissal or repatriation. Lake, appointed to oversee the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which manages VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), has begun a sweeping reorganization, citing a...

June 23, 2025 - Ukraine/Russia -  In a chilling revelation, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced that it had foiled two assassination attempts on prominent Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Gordon, both allegedly orchestrated by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). The plots were reportedly ordered at the highest levels of the Russian state, with SBU officials claiming direct authorization from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The first attempt involved a criminal group from Dagestan, recruited and directed by the FSB to infiltrate Ukraine and eliminate Gordon. The operatives were reportedly promised a reward of $400,000 for successfully carrying out...

June 22, 2025 - Turkey - Perihan Sevda Erkılınç, a journalist for the left-wing outlet Özgür Gelecek, is facing severe health risks in Bakırköy Women's Prison due to the denial of essential medical treatment. Arrested during a police raid on April 29, 2025—days before May Day protests—Erkılınç was taken into custody without formal charges and remains detained over seven weeks later. Erkılınç suffers from asthma and celiac disease, a serious autoimmune condition that requires a strict gluten-free diet. Despite this, prison authorities have failed to provide consistent medical care or appropriate food. Upon her arrest,...

June 22, 2025 - Iran -  Iran is facing serious international criticism after reports emerged that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) abducted the family of a London-based journalist working for Iran International, a Persian-language news channel. The incident, believed to have occurred between June 21–22, is being viewed as a retaliatory act over the outlet’s coverage of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. According to Iran International, the journalist—whose identity is being withheld for safety reasons—received a chilling phone call from her father, who was clearly under duress. “I’ve told you a thousand times to resign,”...

June 21, 2025 - Palestine/Australia - Alistair Kitchen, a 33-year-old Australian writer and former Columbia University postgraduate student, was deported from the United States in what rights groups are calling a politically motivated move tied to his reporting on pro-Palestinian student protests. Kitchen was detained for nearly 12 hours by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Los Angeles International Airport before being denied entry and sent back to Australia. Kitchen had traveled to the U.S. intending to visit friends in New York and continue his writing. However, upon arrival, CBP agents reportedly questioned him...

June 21, 2025 - Palestine -  The BBC has decided not to air Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, a documentary focusing on the targeting of medical workers during the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. The decision, announced in June 2025, has triggered widespread criticism from journalists, filmmakers, and press freedom advocates who accuse the BBC of censorship and political bias. Produced by Basement Films, the documentary was commissioned by the BBC and initially scheduled to air in February. However, internal concerns over impartiality, especially in the wake of an earlier controversy involving another Gaza documentary, led to its...

June 21, 2025 - Palestine -  Palestinian photojournalist Belal Khaled has revealed searing insights into the ongoing Gaza conflict, highlighting the devastating human cost and the critical role journalists play in bearing witness. Speaking during a visit to South Africa in June 2025, Khaled shared emotional testimony about life on the front lines, where documenting the truth comes at immense personal risk. Khaled described walking through destroyed neighborhoods, photographing families torn apart by Israeli airstrikes, and capturing images of children playing among rubble. His work goes beyond visuals—it tells deeply human stories of survival, loss,...

June 21, 2025 - Turkey -  Prominent Turkish journalist Fatih Altaylı was detained on June 22, 2025, over allegations that he threatened President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a recent YouTube broadcast. The arrest marks another alarming chapter in Turkey’s ongoing crackdown on dissent and press freedom. Altaylı, a veteran journalist with decades of experience in mainstream Turkish media and over 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, has been a vocal critic of the government. In his recent video, he referenced a poll showing overwhelming public opposition to Erdoğan serving as president for life. He remarked that Turkey...

June 21, 2025 - Belarus -  Belarus has unexpectedly released several high-profile political prisoners, including opposition leader Sergei Tsikhanouski and journalist Iryna Karnye, in what observers are calling a rare gesture from the Lukashenko regime. Their release, confirmed on June 24, 2025, comes after years of international condemnation of Belarus’s human rights abuses and suppression of dissent. Sergei Tsikhanouski, a popular video blogger turned political activist, was arrested in May 2020 while attempting to run against President Alexander Lukashenko. His arrest barred him from the election, prompting his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, to run in his...

June 21, 2025 - General -  In a powerful statement delivered during an event in Lima, Peru, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on abuse, vowing to address not only sexual abuse but also spiritual, psychological, and institutional abuse. Speaking at a theatrical performance honoring investigative journalist Paola Ugaz—who helped expose abuse within the Peruvian religious group Sodalitium Christianae Vitae—Pope Leo emphasized that abuse in any form is an affront to human dignity and the mission of the Church. Pope Leo declared that “no abuse can be tolerated,” urging...

June 20, 2025 - Azerbaijan - In a sweeping blow to press freedom, a court in Baku has sentenced seven independent journalists to prison terms ranging from 7½ to 9 years. The journalists, including Farid Mehralizada of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and six others from Abzas Media, were convicted on charges including illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, and currency smuggling. The case has been widely condemned by international human rights and press freedom organizations, which view the charges as politically motivated. Abzas Media is known for its investigative reporting on government corruption and human rights...

June 20, 2025 - Georgia -  In recent weeks, the Georgian government has escalated its crackdown on dissent by summoning dozens of journalists, activists, and opposition figures to court. They face charges of “insulting” government officials—a crime newly criminalized under a legal amendment passed in February 2025. Those accused could face fines of up to 4,000 lari (around $1,450) or 45 days in detention. The law was swiftly used to target media voices and government critics for posting strong, sometimes satirical or harsh comments on social media. Among those summoned is TV Pirveli journalist Vika Bukia, who...

June 20, 2025 - USA -  Independent journalists Cameron Higby and Brandi Kruse were violently assaulted while covering an anti-immigration enforcement protest in Seattle on June 14, 2025. The attack, which occurred during demonstrations against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has ignited outrage and renewed debate over media bias and protest coverage. According to their accounts, both journalists were targeted by far-left agitators while documenting events on the ground. Cameron Higby, who was filming a protest near downtown Seattle, was allegedly choked, punched in the face while on the ground, and kicked by masked...

June 20, 2025 - General -  According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the number of jailed journalists worldwide reached 361 by December 1, 2024, marking the second-highest total since CPJ began tracking in 1992. The surge reflects a sharp increase in global crackdowns on press freedom, driven by war, authoritarianism, and shrinking democratic space. Asia emerged as the region with the highest number of imprisoned journalists, accounting for 111 out of the 361 cases. In a Rappler interview, CPJ’s Asia Program Director, Beh Lih Yi, emphasized the alarming trend, saying, “Asia is now...

June 20, 2025 - Bangladesh -  Press freedom in Bangladesh has entered a perilous phase, with the interim government—led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus—facing mounting criticism for sustaining and even intensifying repression of journalists. Despite initial hopes for reform following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, the government has continued to use harsh legal measures to silence dissent. The Digital Security Act (DSA) and the Broadcast Act remain powerful tools of suppression. Since the political transition, more than 640 journalists have been arrested, and over 180 criminal cases—ranging from defamation to...

June 20, 2025 - Nigeria - The recent reflections by CrossRiverWatch on the 2019 arrest of its founder, Agba Jalingo, underscore a chilling reality: press freedom in Nigeria remains under serious threat. On August 22, 2019, heavily armed security operatives stormed Jalingo’s Lagos home at dawn, arresting him in front of his wife and young daughter. He was charged with treason and terrorism, following a report he published alleging the misappropriation of ₦500 million meant for the Cross River State microfinance bank. Jalingo’s arrest sparked national and international outrage, with civil society organizations and media...

June 19, 2025 - South Africa -  A solemn memorial service was held in Pretoria this week to remember Sibusiso “Aserie” Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Precious Mdhluli, both brutally murdered earlier this year. The couple had gone missing in February, and their bodies were discovered in May near the Limpopo–Mpumalanga border. DNA testing later confirmed their identities. The occasion, hosted by the National Press Club at GCIS offices, gathered family, friends, media colleagues, and public figures to pay tribute. Legendary musician Vusi Mahlasela, a close friend, spoke movingly of Ndlovu’s vibrant personality and deep...

June 19, 2025 - Iran/UK -  Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has strongly condemned a growing campaign of intimidation and harassment targeting Iranian journalists living in the United Kingdom. The press freedom group warns that Tehran’s security apparatus is increasingly extending its repression across borders, threatening journalists in exile and their families back in Iran. The most alarming aspect of this campaign involves transnational harassment, surveillance, threats, and psychological pressure. According to RSF, several UK-based Iranian journalists have reported that their family members in Iran have been interrogated, threatened, or pressured to convince them to stop...

June 19, 2025 - Brazil -  On May 27, 2025, Brazilian journalist Luis Augusto Carneiro da Costa was shot dead while broadcasting live on Guarany FM, a community radio station in Abaetetuba, in the northern state of Pará. Two masked gunmen stormed the studio during his program and fatally shot him in front of listeners and colleagues. The killing has shocked the region and sparked national and international outrage. Da Costa, 46, had more than two decades of experience in local journalism. He was known for engaging with grassroots issues and was deeply connected to...

June 19, 2025 - Bangladesh -  Thirteen years after the brutal double murder of Bangladeshi journalists Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, justice remains out of reach. The couple—both prominent reporters—were stabbed to death in their Dhaka apartment on February 11, 2012, while their five-year-old son slept in the next room. Despite multiple arrests and ongoing investigations, no one has been convicted, and the motive behind their killings remains unknown. Initially handled by local police, the investigation was later transferred to the Detective Branch, then to the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and most recently, to...

June 18, 2025 - France -  The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) has strongly condemned the detention of two French journalists by Israeli authorities after they were seized aboard the Madleen, a vessel from the Gaza-bound “Freedom Flotilla.” The incident occurred during the night of June 8–9, 2025, when Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla in international waters. Journalists Yanis Mhamdi (Blast) and Omar Faiad (Al Jazeera) were among those detained while covering the humanitarian mission intended to deliver aid to Gaza. ECPMF expressed deep concern over the violation of press freedom, calling...

June 18, 2025 - General -  Veteran journalist Peter Oborne has publicly accused the BBC of showing “double standards” in its coverage of the Gaza conflict, following the release of a major report by the Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM). Speaking at the report’s launch event, Oborne said the BBC had consistently prioritized Israeli narratives while silencing or minimizing Palestinian perspectives. He went so far as to describe the coverage as “complicity in Israeli genocide,” arguing the broadcaster misled the British public during one of the deadliest assaults on Gaza in modern history. The CfMM’s...

June 18, 2025 - Palestine/Egypt -  Youmna El Sayed, once a frontline journalist for Al Jazeera in Gaza, now finds herself silenced and stateless in Cairo. Fleeing Gaza’s war in 2024, she joins more than 250 Palestinian journalists who have taken refuge in Egypt—alongside others scattered across Oman, Qatar, Turkey, and Canada—according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate’s Cairo office. El Sayed recalls the abrupt transformation of her life: “I was a journalist until the day I crossed the border. Now, I am just a refugee with a press card that no longer holds any weight.”...

June 17, 2025 - Myanmar -  A comprehensive report released by the International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) details the extensive repression faced by journalists in Myanmar since the military coup in February 2021. Over the four years from February 2021 to February 2025, Myanmar’s military regime has employed systematic legal and physical repression to silence the independent media and suppress critical reporting. According to the ICNL’s findings, at least 221 journalists have been detained since the coup. Out of these, 88 have been convicted, collectively receiving 497 years of prison sentences. Some journalists have...