News

June 07, 2025 - Palestine -  In a sharply worded response, UN agency chief Philippe Lazzarini has denounced Israel’s continued prohibition on international journalists entering Gaza, calling it “a ban on the truth” and warning that it fosters misinformation, heightened polarization, and dehumanization. The ban, in effect since the outbreak of war, now surpassing 20 months, has drawn international condemnation from humanitarian groups and global media organizations. Lazzarini emphasized the critical role of independent coverage, urging that international journalists be granted access to directly report from Gaza. He also stressed the need to support local...

June 06, 2025 - Iran -  Iran’s government has intensified its transnational repression by systematically targeting the families of exiled journalists, particularly those working for BBC Persian. This growing campaign aims to silence journalists abroad by threatening their loved ones still living inside Iran, using a calculated mix of intimidation, harassment, and punishment. According to reports from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Iranian intelligence agents have summoned family members of several journalists and delivered chilling ultimatums: tell their relatives abroad to stop reporting or face severe consequences. In some cases, relatives have...

June 06, 2025 - Malta -  Nearly eight years after the brutal murder of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, several key figures involved in the assassination have been convicted and sentenced, marking a significant development in one of Europe's most shocking attacks on press freedom. Caruana Galizia, known for her fearless reporting on political corruption, money laundering, and organized crime in Malta, was killed on October 16, 2017, when a car bomb detonated under her vehicle near her home. The assassination sent shockwaves through the international community, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for justice....

June 05, 2025 - UK - Recent reports focus on Tommy Robinson, a well-known British activist and former leader of the English Defence League, amid his court appearances and accusations of harassment against journalists. Robinson, who has a history of provocative activism and legal issues, was recently in the news for his involvement in a court case and subsequent allegations. According to The Independent, Tommy Robinson appeared in court facing charges related to his conduct, which included accusations of breaching court orders and disrupting proceedings. The case has drawn significant media attention due to Robinson’s...

June 05, 2025 - Yemen -  Recent reports from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and Radio Free Asia reveal a troubling escalation in Yemen's crackdown on the press. The Yemeni authorities have issued arrest warrants against multiple journalists, primarily targeting those investigating corruption and challenging government narratives, amid a broader pattern of harassment and repression of media workers. According to the CPJ, Yemen's security agencies have issued warrants for the detention of several journalists, accusing them of spreading false information and undermining national security. These actions come amid...

June 05, 2025 - General -  Recent reports highlight significant challenges faced by journalists amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Arab News and BBC News have covered the tense situation involving media coverage in conflict zones, emphasizing the risks journalists encounter and the importance of press freedom. Additionally, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has issued a statement condemning the detention of BBC journalists by Israeli forces. Arab News reports on the increasing dangers for journalists reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The article highlights instances where journalists have been targeted or detained, underscoring the...

June 05, 2025 - Africa - More than 100 African journalists and media rights organizations have joined forces to demand transparency and accountability from Guinea’s military authorities regarding the disappearance of journalist Habib Marouane Camara. The prominent reporter, who founded and managed the Conakry-based news outlet Le Révélateur 224, has been missing since December 3, 2024. Camara was abducted in the Lambanyi district of Conakry by men dressed in gendarme uniforms. Witnesses reported that he was forcibly removed from his vehicle, beaten unconscious, and taken to an undisclosed location. His car was later found with...

June 05, 2025 - Palestine -  On June 4, 2025, an Israeli unmanned aerial strike targeted the courtyard of the Al‑Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, where a group of journalists had gathered. The attack resulted in the deaths of four media workers—Ismail Baddah, Suleiman Hajjaj, Samir Al‑Rifai, and Ahmad Qalja (who later succumbed to injuries), while Imad Daloul was critically wounded. Eyewitnesses and hospital staff, including hospital director Dr. Fadel Naeem, confirmed the strike hit journalists at their makeshift reporting site. Daloul and Qalja were rushed into intensive care. Local and international press freedom monitors...

June 05, 2025 - Brazil -  Brazilian prosecutors have officially charged Rubén Darío Villar, a Colombian fish trader, for orchestrating the brutal 2022 murders of British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira. The indictment marks a major milestone in a case that has drawn global attention to the dangers faced by environmental defenders and journalists in the Amazon. On June 5, 2022, Phillips and Pereira disappeared while traveling by boat in the remote Javari Valley, one of Brazil's most isolated regions plagued by illegal fishing, logging, and mining. Their mission was to...

June 04, 2025 - India -  The Supreme Court recently declined to grant interim protection to two journalists from Madhya Pradesh who had accused the police of custodial abuse and harassment. The journalists sought the court’s intervention following what they described as police intimidation linked to their professional work. The journalists alleged that police officers had subjected them to harsh treatment and abuse while in custody. They claimed that this harassment was an attempt to suppress their reporting and intimidate the press. The case raised serious concerns about freedom of the press and police conduct...

June 04, 2025 - El Salvador - In a landmark ruling, a Salvadoran court on June 3, 2025, convicted three former military officials for orchestrating the 1982 killing of four Dutch journalists during the country’s civil war. The court sentenced Gen. José Guillermo García (91), Col. Francisco Morán (93), and Col. Mario Adalberto Reyes Mena (85) to 15 years in prison each. García and Morán, both in fragile health, were present via hospital custody in San Salvador. Reyes Mena, who resides in the United States, was convicted in absentia and faces extradition. The victims—Jan Kuiper,...

June 04, 2025 - UK/Brazil -  Charlotte Alice Peet, a 32-year-old British journalist, has been found safe in Brazil nearly four months after she was reported missing. Known for her coverage of South American affairs for outlets like The Independent, Al Jazeera, and The Times, Peet had been living in Brazil and returned to the country in November 2024. She last communicated with her family on February 8, 2025, telling them she was headed to Rio de Janeiro in search of accommodation. After that, she went silent, prompting growing concern. Peet’s family filed a missing...

June 04, 2025 - Argentina -  In a troubling trend drawing global condemnation, journalists covering peaceful protests in Argentina are increasingly facing targeted repression at the hands of state security forces. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has raised urgent alarms about what it describes as a systematic campaign to silence media coverage through violence and intimidation—an effort that directly threatens democratic freedoms in the country. Since the inauguration of President Javier Milei in December 2023, Argentina has witnessed a surge in public demonstrations, particularly among pensioners protesting austerity measures and social reforms. Yet these otherwise peaceful...

June 03, 2025 - General -  The European Union, together with the Samir Kassir Foundation, celebrated the 20th edition of the Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press. The ceremony took place at the historic Sursock Palace Gardens in Beirut, Lebanon. Established in 2006 to honor the memory of Lebanese journalist Samir Kassir, the award recognizes courageous and outstanding journalism in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf region. This year, the award highlighted the exceptional work of three journalists from Palestine, Egypt, and Syria, whose reporting shed light on critical and often...

June 03, 2025 - Yemen - Houthi authorities in Yemen have escalated their campaign against journalists and humanitarian workers, drawing international condemnation for a wave of detentions and rights violations. At least four journalists were abducted between May 21 and 23 in the Houthi-controlled city of Hodeidah. The detainees include freelance photographer Abduljabbar Zayad, journalist Hassan Ziyad of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, media director Abdulaziz Al-Noum, and syndicate official Walid Ali Ghalib. The arrests were reportedly carried out without legal warrants or explanation. In a separate case, journalist Mohamed Al-Miyahi was sentenced on May 24 to 18...

June 03, 2025 - USA -  Eric Spofford, founder and former CEO of Granite Recovery Centers, a prominent addiction treatment organization in New Hampshire, has been indicted in a case involving harassment and vandalism targeting journalist Lauren Chooljian of New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and her colleagues. The case stems from a series of events following a 2022 investigative report by Chooljian that included allegations of sexual misconduct and financial impropriety against Spofford. Shortly after the report’s publication, Chooljian’s home, her editor’s home, and her parents' house were all vandalized—windows smashed and bricks thrown, one...

June 03, 2025 - Kashmir - Danish Manzoor, a journalist based in Jammu and Kashmir, narrowly escaped a life-threatening attack when unidentified gunmen opened fire on his vehicle in the Budgam district. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, in a part of the region often marred by political tension and sporadic violence. Manzoor, who was inside the car at the time of the attack, reported that at least two bullets struck his vehicle, though he fortunately escaped unhurt. The assailants fled the scene immediately after the attack, and no group has claimed responsibility so far....

June 03, 2025 - Ireland -  Journalists in Northern Ireland are working under increasing levels of fear due to ongoing threats, violence, and intimidation by paramilitary groups and criminal gangs, according to a new Amnesty International report. The study, Occupational Hazard?, paints a grim picture of what it calls the most dangerous region in the UK for media workers. Since 2019, more than 70 incidents involving threats or attacks on journalists have been recorded. These include direct death threats, physical assaults, threats of bombs under cars, and messages demanding reporters leave the country within 48...

June 02, 2025 - Salvador - Salvadoran journalist Javier Antonio Hércules Salinas was fatally shot in Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras, despite being under state protection since 2023. Hércules, who worked for the television channel A Todo Noticias, was ambushed by gunmen while driving his taxi—a side job he took to support his family. He had been living in Honduras for five years with his wife and children. Hércules had previously survived a kidnapping attempt in 2023, which led to his enrollment in Honduras' Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders, Justice Operators, and Journalists. However,...

June 02, 2025 - Honduras -  Carlos Gilberto Aguirre, a beloved sports commentator and radio host in Honduras, was found murdered on June 1, 2025, in Juticalpa, Olancho. His death has shocked the local community and drawn widespread condemnation from journalists and human rights organizations. Aguirre, who worked for Radio Oro Estéreo, was initially believed to have been struck by a vehicle after his body was discovered on a road. However, an autopsy later revealed that he had suffered multiple stab wounds, confirming that he was murdered. Authorities have since launched a criminal investigation, but...

June 02, 2025 - USA -  Gabrielle Cuccia, a self‑described “MAGA girl,” was OAN’s Pentagon correspondent until late May 2025. Coca‑coloured openly loyal to former President Trump, she didn’t hide her views—until she crossed an unwritten line. Three days after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth introduced new restrictions on reporters’ movements in the Pentagon, Cuccia published a Substack post on Memorial Day titled “The Secretary of Defense‑ive.” In it, she slammed Hegseth for micromanaging press access and criticized his team, stating that real leaks came from senior Pentagon officials, not from journalists sneaking into secure spaces. Her exact...

June 02, 2025 - Canada - Ottawa police arrested journalist Ramona Murphy while she was covering a protest against the CANSEC arms trade show at the EY Centre. Murphy, a volunteer journalist with The North Star, was filming police actions when she was detained alongside 12 other demonstrators. She was threatened with charges of mischief and resisting arrest but was released eight hours later without any formal charges. The North Star condemned the arrest as an attack on press freedom, emphasizing that Murphy was identifiable as a journalist and was documenting the event from a...

June 02, 2025 - Uganda -  Ugandan journalist and human rights activist Agather Atuhaire endured a traumatic experience during her detention by Tanzanian authorities in Dar es Salaam. She had traveled to Tanzania alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Atuhaire recounted that upon their arrival, both were apprehended by security personnel, blindfolded, and taken to an undisclosed location. During her detention, Atuhaire was stripped down to her underwear, beaten, and subjected to invasive procedures involving unidentified substances being inserted into her body. She described being forced...

June 02, 2025 - India -  India’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition filed by two journalists from Madhya Pradesh who allege police officers physically assaulted them after reporting on illegal sand mining in Bhind district. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and drawn attention to the dangers faced by reporters investigating corruption and environmental crime. According to the petition, the two journalists were summoned to a police station in Bhind on May 23, 2024, under the pretense of questioning, but were instead brutally beaten by police officers. The reporters say they were...

June 02, 2025 - Syria/USA -  Newly uncovered Syrian intelligence documents have confirmed that American journalist Austin Tice was held in government custody after his disappearance near Damascus in 2012, despite years of denial from the Assad regime. The revelations come from a BBC investigation that examined top-secret files, now verified by multiple sources, including law enforcement. Austin Tice, a former U.S. Marine turned freelance journalist, vanished while reporting in Syria at the height of the civil war. Until now, his fate had remained a mystery. The documents detail that he was captured by the...