News

January 15, 2025 - Russia -  The International Press Institute (IPI) has strongly condemned a new set of laws passed in Russia that significantly tighten state control over dissent, particularly targeting independent journalists and civil society actors. These laws mark an alarming expansion of the Kremlin’s “foreign agent” framework and further criminalize independent reporting, deepening the suppression of press freedom in the country. The legislation broadens the definition of who can be labeled a “foreign agent,” allowing authorities to apply the term to virtually anyone who receives foreign support or engages in vaguely defined political...

January 14, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  Palestinian journalist Mohammad Bashir Al-Talmas, an editor at Safa News Agency, was killed following an Israeli airstrike in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of northern Gaza on January 13, 2025. He succumbed to injuries the next day, after undergoing emergency surgery. Al-Talmas, aged 40, was covering the humanitarian crisis in Gaza when the strike occurred, reportedly hitting a gathering that included displaced civilians and media workers. His death marks the latest in a devastating toll on media personnel since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza in October 2023....

January 14, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  Palestinian journalist and photographer Ahlam al‑Nafed was killed by an Israeli airstrike while walking to Al‑Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza City. A dedicated frontline reporter, she had spent 100 days covering the besieged Indonesian Hospital, working for Drop Site News and other local media. At 33 years old, al‑Nafed documented atrocities in one of Gaza’s most embattled medical facilities, capturing images and stories that brought international focus to widespread suffering. Drop Site News mourned that “through her words and images, she ensured that atrocities which might have been silenced...

January 14, 2025 - Belarus -  Belarusian journalist Andrei Kuznechyk, a contributor to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was released in early 2025 after spending more than three years behind bars in what human rights organizations have widely condemned as a politically motivated imprisonment. Kuznechyk had been arrested on November 25, 2021, near his home in Minsk while out cycling. Initially sentenced to short administrative detention for “hooliganism,” his case escalated when Belarusian authorities charged him with “participation in an extremist group,” a vague accusation often used to silence dissent. In June 2022, Kuznechyk was...

January 14, 2025 - Turkmenistan- Turkmen journalist Nurgeldi Halykov was prevented from boarding a flight at Ashgabat International Airport despite holding a valid passport and travel documents. Authorities told him he was under a travel ban, offering no written explanation or legal justification. Halykov had planned to fly to the United Arab Emirates to begin a new job in the hospitality industry, hoping to rebuild his life after years of state persecution. Halykov, a freelance contributor to the Netherlands-based outlet Turkmen. news, had previously spent nearly four years in prison on politically motivated charges. He...

January 14, 2025 - Sri Lanka -  Following the election of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the rise of the National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, a coalition of 25 media and civil society organizations is urging the new Sri Lankan government to act decisively to protect press freedom. The Press Freedom Collective, which includes the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Federation of Media Employees and Trade Unions (FMETU), Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), and the Free Media Movement (FMM), issued a public statement outlining urgent reforms. The collective calls for an end to impunity...

January 14, 2025 - General -  A recent report by Equal Times exposes the deeply unstable and often dangerous conditions faced by journalists reporting from conflict zones such as Gaza, Lebanon, and Libya. While their work is vital for global understanding of war and human suffering, these journalists—especially freelancers and local reporters—are frequently left to operate without adequate support, training, or protection. Many of these journalists work without contracts, insurance, or institutional backing, making them highly vulnerable to injury, arrest, or death. The illusion of “entrepreneurial” journalism masks a reality of precarious gig work, where...

January 14, 2025 - Afghanistan -  A Taliban-run court in Kabul sentenced Afghan journalist Mahdi Ansari to 18 months in prison on charges of spreading “anti-regime propaganda.” The verdict follows his October 2024 arrest, when Taliban intelligence forces detained him in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood of Kabul. Ansari, who works for Afghan News Agency (AFKA), had reportedly shared videos on his personal YouTube channel that included speeches critical of Taliban rule, particularly by Shia cleric Ayatollah Waez Behsoudi, who opposed the Taliban’s restrictions and destruction of Hazara cultural monuments. Ansari had previously been briefly detained in...

January 13, 2025 - General - The United Nations and leading press freedom experts sharply criticized the banning of Al-Jazeera in an undisclosed country, warning that the move sets a dangerous precedent that undermines journalism and fosters impunity for human rights violations. The ban—likely imposed in a politically sensitive region amid conflict—has drawn strong reactions from international institutions committed to safeguarding free expression. The UN expressed grave concern that restricting access to Al-Jazeera, a globally recognized news outlet, effectively denies the public critical information during a time when transparent reporting is essential. A UN spokesperson...

January 14, 2025 - Palestine -  During a reporting assignment in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Al Jazeera cameraman Fadi al‑Wahidi was critically injured by Israeli military fire. Fadi, wearing a marked press vest, captured drone footage before being struck in the neck by a bullet fired by an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft. He and reporter Anas al‑Sharif were documenting the effects of displacement when the Israeli drone targeted their location. Al‑Sharif recalled how Fadi fell and collapsed, with colleagues unable to assist immediately due to ongoing gunfire. Fadi was rushed to al-Ahli Hospital, where...

January 13, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  Abubaker Abed, a 22-year-old Palestinian journalist from Deir al-Balah, has become one of the most powerful voices documenting the human cost of war in Gaza. Originally a sports commentator, Abed transformed into a frontline war reporter amid Israel’s relentless bombardment. In a recent interview with Democracy Now!, he shared his harrowing experience and the emotional toll of covering atrocities while living through them. Abed described Gaza as “a mass grave,” saying that journalists on the ground are not only recording the war—they are surviving it. He detailed how he...

January 13, 2025 - Turkey -  Turkish journalist Fatoş Sarıkaya was violently assaulted by police in the southern city of Mersin while attempting to film a public protest. The demonstration was sparked by the government’s controversial removal of elected co-mayors in the Akdeniz district—a move many observers labeled a political intervention. Sarıkaya, an accredited journalist, was shoved, her press card knocked to the ground, and she was physically prevented from recording the event. According to the Coalition for Women in Journalism (CFWIJ), Sarıkaya’s experience is part of a disturbing trend in Turkey, where journalists, particularly...

January 13, 2025 - Venezuela -  As Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a controversial third term on January 10, 2025, the country witnessed an intensified wave of repression targeting journalists and digital media, accompanied by significant legal consequences. In the days surrounding the inauguration, at least four journalists were detained while covering opposition demonstrations in cities like Maracaibo, where press freedom organizations recorded multiple arrests and violent incidents. Journalist and human rights defender Carlos Correa, director of Espacio Público, was among those seized by hooded agents on January 7 and disappeared for over a week...

January 13, 2025 - Nicaragua -  In 2024, at least 46 Nicaraguan journalists were forced into exile due to escalating repression under President Daniel Ortega’s regime, according to a report by the Costa Rica-based Foundation for Freedom of Expression and Democracy (FLED). This brings the total number of exiled journalists since the brutal 2018 crackdown to 283, underscoring the systematic dismantling of press freedom in the country. The FLED report documented 81 press freedom violations in 2024, including arbitrary arrests, surveillance, newsroom raids, confiscation of equipment, and enforced disappearances. Prominent journalists such as Fabiola Tercero...

January 13, 2025 - UN -  UNESCO has launched a call for proposals aimed at strengthening freedom of expression and journalist safety in Somalia, where media workers face persistent threats from conflict, political instability, and targeted violence. Announced on January 13, 2025, the initiative will fund projects with a total budget of US$ 35,000 and run from the second to the fourth quarter of 2025. The call supports organizations capable of implementing practical, locally grounded activities to enhance protection for journalists—particularly women—and promote institutional engagement around media safety. Interested applicants must submit proposals by January 31,...

January 13, 2025 - France - Reporters Without Borders (RSF), alongside 110 civil society and media organizations, has jointly demanded that the French government enact robust legal protections for journalists’ sources. This collaborative appeal, announced in early 2025, highlights growing concerns over diminished press freedom and criminal risks facing journalists and their informants. At the heart of the coalition’s demand is France’s lagging shield law for source confidentiality. Under current regulations, several court rulings have compelled journalists to reveal their sources during legal proceedings, despite promises of confidentiality. RSF warns that this not only deters...

January 13, 2025 - Venezuela -  Since Venezuela’s contentious July 28, 2024, presidential election, the country has been engulfed in a severe human rights crisis. As of January 11, 2025, the Foro Penal human rights network reported 221 individuals—181 more than in late December—have been detained for political reasons. This crackdown has swept up opposition figures, journalists, and human rights defenders alike. Foro Penal’s tally reveals nearly 1,700 people currently imprisoned, with 1,503 detained in connection with post-electoral protests alone, and over 900 arrested immediately after the election. Detainees include 221 politicians, 23 journalists, and six...

January 13, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has reported that, on average, three journalists are being killed every week in Gaza, underscoring the extraordinary dangers faced by media workers amid Israel’s ongoing military operations. As of mid-January 2025, more than 200 journalists—mostly Palestinians—have been killed since the war began in October 2023, making this the deadliest conflict for journalists in modern history. The latest incident involved the killing of a journalist by Israeli sniper fire in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on January 12. The victim was...

January 12, 2025 - Georgia -  Seasoned Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, co-founder and director of independent media outlets Batumelebi (Batumi) and Netgazeti (national), was arrested during protests in Batumi calling for fresh elections. The arrest unfolded in two stages: she was initially detained on January 11 for placing a protest sticker near the police headquarters, released, then re-arrested minutes later—this time accused of slapping Batumi’s police chief, Irakli Dgebuadze, during a confrontation. Authorities charged her under Article 353 of Georgia’s Criminal Code—assaulting a police officer—punishable by up to seven years in prison. The Batumi City Court promptly ordered...

January 12, 2025 - USA -  Dennis Sharkey Jr., a 50-year-old sports journalist for the Platte County Citizen in Missouri, was fatally shot on January 10, 2025, in what authorities believe was a road-rage incident. The tragedy occurred as Sharkey was driving home from covering a high school basketball game, just one day after celebrating his 50th birthday. Police say Sharkey’s vehicle veered off Interstate 29 near 72nd Street and crashed into a fence. Witnesses reported that his car had pulled over on the side of the highway alongside another vehicle. A man reportedly exited...

January 12, 2025 - Kurdistan -  In Iraq’s southern province of Dhi Qar, journalists are increasingly becoming targets of repression for reporting on corruption and anti-government protests. According to Kurdistan24, several reporters have been detained, tortured, and denied access to information after attempting to cover demonstrations and investigate allegations of mismanagement within local government institutions. The crackdown appears to be part of a coordinated campaign to silence critical voices. Journalists have reported being held for hours without explanation, interrogated under harsh conditions, and subjected to physical abuse by security forces. In some cases, their equipment...

January 12, 2025 - Italy/Iran -  In a delicate diplomatic maneuver, Italy released Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini on January 12, 2025, just days after Tehran freed Italian journalist Cecilia Sala. Abedini had been detained in Milan since December 16 on a U.S. extradition warrant alleging he supplied drone parts used in a January 2024 strike in Jordan that killed three American service members. Rome’s Justice Minister intervened, revoking Abedini’s arrest warrant. Italian courts concluded that his alleged offense—violating U.S. sanctions via the International Emergency Economic Powers Act—had no equivalent crime under Italian law and thus...

January 12, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  A recent 60 Minutes segment aired on CBS News revealed a staggering toll on media workers covering the Israel–Hamas conflict in Gaza. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 160 journalists, translators, fixers, and support staff have been killed since hostilities erupted in October 2023. This marks the most lethal period for reporters since CPJ began tracking deaths in 1992. The program noted that the vast majority of those killed in Gaza are Palestinian, with deaths extending to their families, raising fears the targeting of journalists may...

January 12, 2025 - Palestine/Israel - Palestinian journalist Jarrah Khalaf has reportedly been tortured while in the custody of Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, raising serious concerns about media repression and human rights abuses in the West Bank. Khalaf, known for covering press conferences and field reports from the Jenin refugee camp, was arrested at a PA checkpoint earlier this month. His detention comes amid a broader crackdown on dissent and independent journalism during ongoing PA-led operations in Jenin. According to his family and the advocacy group Lawyers for Justice, Khalaf was subjected to severe...

January 11, 2025 - Palestine/Israel/China -  According to a January 2025 report by China’s state news agency Xinhua, interprovincial migration in China remained largely stable throughout 2024, countering expectations of a significant rural-to-urban population shift. Government data shows that approximately 5.2 million people moved between provinces last year, only a slight increase from the 5.1 million recorded in 2023. The figures suggest that despite ongoing economic pressures and urbanization trends, internal migration levels have plateaued, signaling a new phase in China’s demographic and labor strategy. Of the total movers, 2.7 million relocated to major metropolitan...