News

May 02, 2025 - Myanmar -  On April 3, 2025, journalist Than Htike Myint was sentenced to five years in prison by a court in Myanaung Township, Myanmar, under Section 52(a) of the Counterterrorism Law. The charges stemmed from alleged contacts with members of the rebel People's Defense Force found on his mobile phone—a connection his employer, Myaelatt Athan news agency, asserts was solely for journalistic purposes. This marks the second arrest for Than Htike Myint, who was previously detained briefly in 2021. His recent arrest occurred on February 6, 2025, at his home in...

May 02, 2025 - Morocco -  In late April 2025, Moroccan authorities deported two Italian journalists, Matteo Garavoglia and Giovanni Colmoni, after they attempted to enter Laayoune, the principal city in Western Sahara, without official authorization. The journalists had previously tried to access the city via Hassan I Airport and subsequently by land, actions that Moroccan officials deemed violations of national sovereignty and legal procedures concerning visits to the southern provinces. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the expulsions, describing them as indicative of Morocco's ongoing efforts to suppress independent reporting in the disputed...

May 02, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has intensified its call for U.S. and international media outlets to condemn the systematic targeting of journalists in Gaza by Israeli forces. This plea follows the tragic death of Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna and ten of her family members in an Israeli airstrike on April 16, 2025. Hassouna, renowned for her poignant documentation of civilian life during the Gaza War, was also the subject of a documentary featured at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.  CAIR asserts that these attacks are not isolated incidents...

May 02, 2025 - Palestine -  Palestine has been named the most dangerous region globally for journalists, according to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The conflict in Gaza has led to a surge in journalist fatalities, with nearly 200 deaths reported over the past 18 months, 42 of which occurred while journalists were on duty. RSF has condemned the Israeli military for deliberately targeting journalists, highlighting the dire conditions media workers face in Gaza, including shortages of food and water, and the constant threat of attack. In addition to...

May 02, 2025 - UK -  British investigative journalist David Collier, known for his work uncovering extremist affiliations, has been subjected to acts of vandalism and threats following his exposure of a BBC documentary's connection to Hamas. While Collier was in Israel, his wife discovered their car had been doused with a chemical substance outside their London home. This incident follows a previous attack where the vehicle was scratched along its side. The Metropolitan Police have classified the latest act as a racially aggravated offense. Collier has reported receiving frequent death threats, with one particularly...

May 02, 2025 - Latin America -  In Mexico and Honduras, journalists are under constant threat not only from organized crime but increasingly from the state itself. Investigative reporter Humberto Padgett, who was attacked and robbed in September 2024 while reporting on drought in central Mexico, has since quit journalism after enduring years of threats, harassment, and government negligence, even while under an official protection program. Similarly, Wendy Funes, a Honduran journalist, has been subjected to bodyguard protection, cyberattacks, and sexist abuse for exposing corruption and links between officials and criminal gangs. Although both countries...

May 01, 2025 - General  -  Al Jazeera Media Network has been recognized with two prestigious Peabody Awards for its compelling coverage of the Gaza conflict. The awards were announced on May 1, 2025, ahead of the 85th annual Peabody ceremony scheduled for June 1 in Los Angeles. The first award was bestowed upon the Al Jazeera English Fault Lines documentary "The Night Won’t End" in the News & Documentary category. This film delves into the harrowing realities faced by Palestinian families during the initial 15 months of the war, highlighting the relentless bombing campaigns,...

May 01, 2025 - General -  On World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2025, international organizations and advocacy groups highlighted the alarming rise in journalist imprisonments worldwide, calling for immediate action to protect press freedom. In the United States, press freedom has reached a historic low, now categorized as "problematic" by Reporters Without Borders. This decline reflects broader global trends, with more than half the world’s population living in countries with little or no press freedom, where practicing journalism is increasingly dangerous. In the Middle East, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, journalists face...

May 01, 2025 - US -  The United States has renewed its search for journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, following recent political changes and new intelligence suggesting he may still be alive. In a notable development, a former high-ranking Syrian security official, once part of the Assad regime, reportedly met with U.S. agents in Beirut. This official, previously in exile, is believed to possess crucial information about Tice’s case and may be cooperating to provide leads regarding his whereabouts. Meanwhile, advocacy groups involved in hostage negotiations have expressed confidence that...

May 01, 2025 - Colombia -  Journalist Jineth Bedoya has ended her 25-year-long legal fight for justice following her abduction, rape, and torture in Colombia in 2000. Despite her efforts to hold those responsible accountable, including a landmark case before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Bedoya cited state negligence and failure to protect her as the primary reasons for her decision to walk away from the case. In 2000, Bedoya was abducted by armed men while investigating a story about illegal arms trafficking. She was held captive, raped, and tortured. Despite identifying the perpetrators,...

May 01, 2025 - Italy -  In early 2025, Italian investigative journalist Francesco Cancellato, editor-in-chief of Fanpage.it, was notified by WhatsApp that his phone had been compromised by Graphite spyware, developed by Israeli firm Paragon Solutions. This military-grade spyware can infiltrate devices without user interaction, accessing encrypted messages and sensitive data. Cancellato, known for exposing neo-fascist elements within Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, expressed feeling “violated” but refrained from speculating on the perpetrators. The breach wasn't isolated. Luca Casarini, founder of the migrant rescue NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans, also received a similar...

May 01, 2025 - Syria -  Syrian authorities have confirmed the mistaken detention of journalists Akram Saleh and Judy Haj Ali, who were briefly held while covering unrest in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, a suburb southwest of Damascus. The journalists, affiliated with Iraq-based Channel 8, lost contact with their team on the evening of April 30, 2025, amid ongoing clashes in the area. The Syrian Ministry of Information issued a statement acknowledging the incident, clarifying that the detention was not intentional. The journalists were reportedly released after 24 hours, and their equipment was returned. The Ministry expressed...

May 01, 2025 - Source: General -  In the ongoing battle against corruption, the collaboration between whistleblowers and journalists has proven to be a formidable force. Whistleblowers, often insiders with access to critical information, rely on journalists to bring their disclosures to the public eye, ensuring transparency and accountability. Organizations like the Government Accountability Project emphasize the importance of this partnership, providing resources and guides to help journalists navigate the complexities of working with whistleblowers. These resources aim to protect both parties, ensuring that whistleblowers can safely share information without fear of retaliation, and journalists...

May 01, 2025 - Lebanon -  On May 6, Lebanon commemorated Press Martyrs' Day, honoring journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. President Joseph Aoun emphasized that true loyalty to the sacrifices of fallen journalists lies in preserving national unity and building a strong state that safeguards the dignity of its people. He described journalism's martyrs as symbols of Lebanon's unyielding will that refuses submission and defeat, reaffirming his commitment to pursuing a Lebanon rooted in justice, equality, and honor. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also paid tribute to the journalists who...

May 01, 2025 - General -  Journalists in Malta have taken a major step toward workplace empowerment and press freedom by officially forming a union through the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM). This marks a turning point in the country's media sector, where concerns about exploitation, low wages, and burnout have been mounting for years. The IĠM, which began in 1989 as The Malta Press Club and rebranded in 2004, has now legally registered as a trade union to provide better protection and representation for media workers. This transformation responds to long-standing issues including long...

April 30, 2025 - Palestine -  The Israel-Gaza conflict has escalated into one of the most dangerous situations for journalists in the world, with a surge in violence, censorship, and systematic suppression of the press. Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, at least 176 journalists and media workers have been killed, the vast majority of them Palestinians reporting from Gaza. This toll represents one of the highest numbers of journalist deaths in a single conflict in modern history. Beyond fatalities, journalists continue to face an environment filled with intimidation, obstruction, and...

April 30, 2025 - Nepal -  International efforts to improve journalist safety are expanding, but the scale of threats remains alarming. From physical violence to digital harassment, reporters across the globe face growing dangers while carrying out their work. The United Nations has marked progress through its decade-old Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, which has been implemented in over 160 countries. Since 2012, more than 50 national mechanisms have been established, training tens of thousands of judges, security officers, and media professionals. These initiatives have led to a slight decline in the...

April 30, 2025 - Europe -  On April 27, 2025, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) coalition met with European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen to address mounting threats to journalism across Europe. The discussion underscored the vital role of resilient journalism in the EU’s defense and preparedness agenda, particularly amid rising digital threats, economic pressures, and the disruptive influence of artificial intelligence. Commissioner Virkkunen acknowledged journalism as essential infrastructure for democratic stability and security. She expressed concern over the financial fragility of independent media, exacerbated by declining public funding and the dominance of tech...

April 30, 2025 - Azerbaijan -  An increasing number of journalists are being forced into exile due to escalating crackdowns on press freedom in their home countries. Azerbaijani journalists, for instance, continue to report on corruption and human rights abuses from abroad, despite facing surveillance, digital attacks, and threats to their families. Their commitment underscores the resilience of exiled media in the face of authoritarian repression. Globally, the trend is alarming. In 2023 alone, at least 460 journalists from 62 countries received financial assistance to flee their nations, nearly double the number from the previous...

April 30, 2025 - Pakistan -  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has been identified as the most perilous region for journalists in Pakistan, with a significant number of threats and attacks documented in recent reports. Between May 2024 and April 2025, five journalists were killed nationwide, including two in KP, highlighting the escalating risks faced by media professionals in the province. The Freedom Network's annual report indicates that KP accounted for 22 documented cases of threats and violence against journalists, surpassing other regions such as Islamabad and Punjab. These incidents encompass a range of abuses, including physical...

April 30, 2025 - Russia -  Kanyshai Mamyrkulova, an independent journalist from Kyrgyzstan, has been subjected to escalating legal actions following her detention on March 20, 2025. Authorities charged her under Article 278 of the Criminal Code for allegedly inciting mass unrest and ethnic discord through her social media posts, which were critical of the government's handling of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border situation. After her arrest, a district court in Bishkek ordered the seizure of her residence, reportedly her only home, raising concerns about potential retaliation against her journalistic activities. Despite calls from international human rights...

April 30, 2025 - Iran/France -  Shahin Hazamy, a French-Iranian freelance journalist known for his pro-Palestinian activism, was detained by French authorities on April 22, 2025. The arrest occurred at his Paris residence, where a team of masked security officers reportedly broke into his home in the early morning hours, arresting him in front of his wife and two young children. Hazamy has been charged with "apologie du terrorisme" (praise of terrorism), a criminal offense in France, due to his social media posts expressing support for Palestinian and Lebanese resistance groups and his condemnation of...

April 30, 2025 - Palestine -  Israel has detained 49 Palestinian journalists since October 7, 2024, marking a significant escalation in the repression of press freedom in the occupied Palestinian territories. These detentions come amid heightened military operations following the October 7 attack by Hamas, which sparked renewed violence and unrest in Gaza and the West Bank. Rights organizations, including the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), have condemned the widespread targeting of journalists, claiming that Israel is using imprisonment and harassment to silence critical reporting. Among the detained journalists, many face...

April 30, 2025 - Sweden/Turkey -  Swedish journalist Joakim Medin was sentenced to an 11-month suspended prison term by a Turkish court on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Medin, who works for the Swedish outlet Dagens ETC, was arrested on March 27, 2025, upon arriving in Istanbul to report on protests related to the arrest of Turkish opposition mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The charges against him stem from a 2023 protest in Stockholm, where an effigy of Erdoğan was displayed. Medin denies having participated in the protest, claiming he was in Germany at the...

April 30, 2025 - USA -  In the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term, press freedom in the United States has faced significant challenges, according to multiple reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) highlights that the administration's actions have created a chilling effect, threatening the availability of independent, fact-based news for vast swaths of America's population. These measures include targeted attacks against journalists and news organizations, regulatory abuse, and access issues for journalists reporting in the U.S. Additionally, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reports that press freedom in the U.S. has reached...