News

April 18, 2025 - Afghanistan -  On April 14, 2025, freelance journalist Sayed Rashed Kashefi was detained by agents of the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) in Kabul. The arrest occurred after Kashefi was summoned under the pretense of retrieving his previously confiscated equipment, including his mobile phone, camera, and voice recorder, which had been seized in mid-March during an investigation into his alleged collaboration with exiled media outlets. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has expressed grave concern over Kashefi’s detention, emphasizing that such actions violate Afghanistan’s media laws and international standards for press...

April 18, 2025 - Yemen -  On April 15, 2025, Yemeni journalist and union activist Awad Kashmeem was arrested by security forces in the Haridah district of Hadhramaut province, eastern Yemen. Kashmeem, who serves as the head of the Freedoms Committee at the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate's Hadhramaut branch, was apprehended without any formal charges being announced, and his current whereabouts remain undisclosed. The arrest followed a series of events where Kashmeem's home was reportedly raided, and his family faced intimidation actions perceived as retaliation for his journalistic endeavors. This incident is not isolated; in February...

April 17, 2025 - Belgium -  On April 13, 2025, freelance journalist Thomas Haulotte was arrested by Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police while covering a civil disobedience protest near the European institutions. Despite presenting his official press card, Haulotte was detained alongside activists putting up anti-far-right posters. The police claimed he was part of the activist group, even though he identified himself as a journalist on assignment. Haulotte recounted that during the nighttime action, activists were surrounded by two police vans. “About ten officers got out and asked us to stand aside,” he said. Haulotte immediately explained to...

April 17, 2025 - Turkey -  Cevheri Güven, a Turkish investigative journalist now living in exile in Germany, continues to face persistent threats to his life despite seeking asylum. Since relocating in 2017, Güven has been under constant police protection, required to inform authorities whenever he leaves his residence. He also wears a wrist device resembling a watch, which serves as a security bracelet allowing him to send an alarm in case of danger. Güven's troubles began in Turkey, where he served as editor-in-chief of Nokta, a political news weekly. In November 2015, he and...

April 17, 2025 - Palestine -  On September 19, 2024, Palestinian journalist Mujahed al-Saadi was forcibly arrested by Israeli forces during a pre-dawn raid on his home in Jenin, located in the occupied West Bank. The operation was marked by violence, with reports indicating that al-Saadi and his wife were physically assaulted during the arrest. Al-Saadi was taken barefoot and in his sleepwear, and his mobile phones were confiscated by the soldiers. Al-Saadi, a freelance journalist contributing to outlets such as Al-Araby al-Jadeed and Palestine Today TV, has a history of reporting on Israeli military...

April 17, 2025 - Kazakhstan -  On April 11, 2025, a court in Almaty sentenced Temirlan Yensebek, founder of the satirical Instagram outlet Qaznews24, to five years of restricted freedom on charges of inciting ethnic and religious hatred. This non-custodial sentence prohibits Yensebek from engaging in journalism, participating in public activities, or giving interviews. Additionally, his phone and laptop were confiscated, and he was ordered to pay a fine of 78,000 tenge (approximately USD 150) into the victims' compensation fund. The charges stem from a January 2024 post on Qaznews24 that featured the rap track...

April 17, 2025 - Cuba -  In a stark illustration of Cuba's escalating repression of independent media, freelance journalists Yadiel Hernández and José Gabriel Barrenechea have been detained without trial, highlighting the perilous environment for press freedom on the island. Hernández, 33, was arrested on January 24, 2025, while investigating drug trafficking in a school in Matanzas for the independent outlet 14ymedio. He is currently held at Combinado del Sur prison, facing charges of "propaganda against the constitutional order," a vague accusation often employed to silence dissenting voices. Barrenechea, 53, a physicist and writer, was...

April 16, 2025 - Palestine -  On April 16, 2025, an Israeli airstrike obliterated a home in Gaza City's Al-Tuffah neighborhood, killing 25-year-old Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna and ten members of her family, including her pregnant sister. The attack came just one day after the announcement that a documentary featuring Hassouna, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, had been selected for the Cannes Film Festival. Born in Gaza City in 1999, Hassouna graduated with a multimedia degree from the University College of Applied Sciences. She began documenting life in Gaza following the escalation...

April 16, 2025 - Russia -  On April 15, 2025, the Nagatinsky District Court in Moscow sentenced four journalists—Antonina Favorskaya, Sergei Karelin, Konstantin Gabov, and Artem Kriger—to five and a half years in prison each. They were convicted of participating in an "extremist community" linked to the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which Russian authorities designated as extremist in 2021. The trial, conducted behind closed doors since October 2024, centered on allegations that the journalists produced content for FBK's YouTube channel. Favorskaya and Kriger were affiliated with SotaVision, an independent outlet known...

April 16, 2025 - Netherlands -  In April 2025, Dutch authorities made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the 2021 assassination of renowned crime journalist Peter R. de Vries. A 39-year-old man, identified as Raily B., was arrested in Willemstad, Curaçao, on suspicion of playing a leading role in the criminal organization responsible for de Vries's murder. At the time of his arrest, Raily B. had been incarcerated in Curaçao since 2014 for unrelated offenses. Following his apprehension, he was extradited to the Netherlands to face charges. Peter R. de Vries was a prominent...

April 16, 2025 -Afghanistan/Pakistan -  Afghan journalist Freshta Sadeed was briefly detained in Islamabad by Pakistani police on April 14, 2025, as part of the country’s intensified crackdown on undocumented Afghan nationals. Sadeed, who had worked for Radio Bahar in Kapisa province, fled Afghanistan after the Taliban’s return to power due to threats against her life as a female journalist. Her detention sparked outrage among press freedom advocates and human rights groups, who feared for her safety and potential deportation. Held for 72 hours at the Haji Camp detention facility, Sadeed was released on April...

April 16, 2024 - Senegal -  In April 2025, Senegalese authorities escalated their crackdown on journalists under a new "zero tolerance" policy targeting the dissemination of so-called "false news." This move has raised serious concerns among press freedom advocates, who view it as a significant step backward for media rights in the country. On April 14, Zik FM editor-in-chief Simon Pierre Faye was charged with spreading false news after his outlet republished an article questioning public trust in President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye's leadership. Faye was released under judicial control but remains under investigation. His...

April 16, 2025 - France/Russia -  In April 2025, France called on Russia to immediately and unconditionally release four journalists sentenced to five and a half years in prison for their alleged association with the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The journalists—Antonina Kravtsova (also known as Antonina Favorskaya), Konstantin Gabov, Sergei Karelin, and Artem Kriger—were convicted of "participation in an extremist organization," referencing Navalny’s banned anti-corruption network. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine condemned the verdicts, stating that the trial exemplified the Russian government's efforts to suppress dissent and intimidate those documenting human rights violations....

April 15, 2025 - Russia-  On April 15, 2025, a Moscow court sentenced four Russian journalists—Antonina Favorskaya, Artyom Kriger, Konstantin Gabov, and Sergey Karelin—to five and a half years in prison each on charges of "participation in an extremist organization." The charges stemmed from their alleged association with the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which Russian authorities designated as extremist in 2021. The journalists were accused of producing content for FBK-affiliated platforms. Favorskaya and Kriger were affiliated with the independent outlet SOTAvision, while Gabov and Karelin worked as freelancers for international media...

April 15, 2025 - Russia -  Canadian journalist Eva Bartlett has formally requested Russian citizenship from President Vladimir Putin, citing increasing instability in Western countries and her desire to present a Russian perspective on global events, especially concerning Ukraine. Bartlett, who holds both Canadian and U.S. citizenship, has been residing in Russia since 2021. In her appeal, she emphasized her deep appreciation for Russian culture, traditions, and language. She also expressed that she no longer feels safe in her home countries due to growing political tensions and societal instability. Bartlett's decision to seek Russian citizenship...

April 15, 2025 - Albania -  Albania's Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) is under increasing scrutiny following allegations of media leaks and undue pressures on journalists. Media Leaks and Alleged Manipulation A significant controversy erupted when a SPAK prosecutor admitted that journalists had sought permission to publish confidential case files. This admission has led to concerns that SPAK may be using the media to influence public opinion and control narratives, especially regarding politically sensitive cases. Critics argue that this practice could undermine the independence of the judiciary and the media's role as...

April 15. 2025 - Turkey -  Across the globe, women journalists are confronting systemic repression, yet they persist in amplifying marginalized voices and advocating for press freedom. Turkey: Journalists Defy Detention In Istanbul, journalists Elif Bayburt and Nisa Sude Demirel were detained during raids and later released. Their detention was part of a broader crackdown on journalists and activists, highlighting ongoing concerns about press freedom in Turkey. Journalist Eylem Babayiğit, previously imprisoned, declared, “No matter where we are, we will continue to write, both inside and outside of prisons. The free press cannot be silenced.”...

April 15, 2025 - Palestine - In 2024, the toll of journalists' lives lost worldwide has reached disturbing levels, marking the second consecutive year of devastating fatalities. Conflict zones have emerged as the deadliest locations for journalists, with 68 media professionals killed, according to UNESCO. The trend reveals an ongoing pattern of increasing violence against those who risk their lives to inform the public in war-torn regions. A significant proportion of these casualties occurred in the Gaza Strip, where over half of the deaths took place. UNESCO’s report highlights the fact that more than 60%...

April 15, 2025 - Nicaragua -  Nicaragua's escalating repression under President Daniel Ortega has forced numerous journalists into exile, stripping them of citizenship and subjecting them to statelessness. This dire situation has transformed exile into a defining feature of Nicaraguan journalism. As of September 2023, at least 223 journalists had been exiled, with many facing the added hardship of losing their Nicaraguan nationality, rendering them stateless and unable to access basic services like healthcare, education, or employment. This deliberate targeting of media professionals has decimated the independent press, leaving a significant void in the country's...

April 14, 2025 - Sudan -  In a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones, Sudanese journalist Ahmed Mohamed Saleh Sayyidna was killed by shelling in El Fasher, Darfur, on April 2025. Sayyidna, a reporter for Sudanese media outlet Al-Watan, was caught in the crossfire of ongoing clashes between Sudanese government forces and rebel groups. His death marks yet another loss in a wave of attacks on journalists covering the devastating conflict that has gripped Sudan since the beginning of the year. Sayyidna's death is part of a broader trend of...

April 14, 2025 - Indonesia -  The harrowing murder of Indonesian journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu and his family in June 2024 continues to spark outrage and calls for justice. Pasaribu, a reporter for Tribrata TV known for covering illegal gambling and drug trafficking, was killed in a targeted arson attack in Karo Regency, North Sumatra. The attack also claimed the lives of his wife and three young children, prompting national condemnation and raising grave concerns over press freedom and journalist safety in Indonesia. Three suspects were found guilty in March 2025 by the Kabanjahe District...

April 14, 2025 - Kenya -  Silas Ochieng’ Apollo, a respected Kenyan journalist formerly with NTV and most recently with The Nairobi Law Monthly, tragically passed away following a road accident on April 9, 2025. The incident occurred along Kiambu Road in Nairobi, where Apollo was struck by a speeding motorcycle while attempting to cross the road. He was initially taken to St. Teresa's Hospital and later transferred to Kiambu Level 6 Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. An autopsy conducted at City Mortuary revealed that Apollo succumbed to severe head injuries caused...

April 14, 2025 - Lebanon -  In April 2025, Lebanese authorities summoned journalists from independent media outlets Daraj Media and Megaphone News, along with Diana Menhem, executive director of the advocacy group Kulluna Irada, for interrogation by the Cassation Public Prosecution Office. The summonses were issued via phone calls without written notices or detailed explanations, raising concerns about due process and legal transparency. The legal actions stem from a criminal complaint filed in March by three private lawyers, reportedly in response to the outlets' critical coverage of candidates for the Central Bank governorship and their...

April 14, 2025 - Bangladesh -  Amid Bangladesh’s ongoing political transformation, journalists remain under severe threat despite a change in leadership. The ousting of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024 and the rise of a transitional government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus brought hopes for improved press freedom. However, recent developments suggest that repression of the media continues, with journalists facing violence, legal harassment, and intimidation. Since early 2025, attacks on journalists have escalated. Several reporters have been beaten by law enforcement and political operatives during protests. Newsrooms have been raided, and journalists...

April 14, 2025 - Palestine -  In October 2023, the BBC faced significant backlash over its initial reporting of a deadly explosion at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza. The broadcaster was criticized not only for speculative on-air commentary but also for how it framed the story in its online headline. The original headline, which suggested Israeli responsibility for the blast based on claims from Hamas, drew widespread condemnation for presenting unverified information as fact. The BBC’s initial headline read along the lines of: “Israeli airstrike hits Gaza hospital, killing hundreds – Hamas”. Critics argued...