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March 06, 2025 - Ecuador -  Patricio Ernesto Aguilar Vásquez, a journalist and television presenter in Ecuador, was shot and killed on March 2, 2025, in the city of La Troncal, marking the latest in a growing wave of violence targeting the country’s press. Aguilar, who hosted the opinion show Claroscuro on a local TV channel, was ambushed by unidentified gunmen who fired multiple times before fleeing the scene. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Aguilar succumbed to his injuries. According to eyewitnesses and local reports, the attack appeared to be premeditated. Surveillance footage...

March 05, 2025 - Afghanistan -  Three Afghan journalists were injured on March 20, 2025, when Pakistani forces launched mortar fire near the Torkham border crossing, a volatile zone between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The journalists were on assignment reporting on the ongoing closure of the key trade and transit route when the incident occurred. The attack marks a dangerous escalation in cross-border tensions and highlights the increasing risks journalists face in conflict zones. The mortar rounds struck Nangarhar province, near the Torkham crossing, which has been closed for several weeks amid political and military friction...

March 05, 2025 - European  -  Europe’s media landscape is facing increasing threats from political interference, disinformation, and declining institutional support, according to the 2024 report by the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists. The report, titled “Press Freedom in Europe: Confronting Political Pressure, Disinformation, and the Erosion of Media Independence”, paints a stark picture of deteriorating conditions for journalists across the continent. The findings reveal that journalists in many European countries are working under mounting pressure from both state and non-state actors. Governments have been accused of...

March 04, 2025 - Serbia -  Press freedom advocates are sounding the alarm in Serbia as journalists face increasing threats, surveillance, and legal harassment. Multiple international organizations, including the International Press Institute (IPI), the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), and PEN International, have called for urgent action to halt the worsening climate of intimidation targeting the media and peaceful dissenters. According to a joint statement by IPI and partners, journalists in Serbia are being systematically targeted through smear campaigns, online abuse, surveillance, and threats, often originating from political actors or figures aligned...

March 04, 2025 - Zimbabwe -  Concern is growing in South Africa’s media community following the disappearance of journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Precious Mdhluli. The two have been missing since February 18, 2025, sparking a wave of anxiety among colleagues, family members, and press freedom advocates. Ndlovu, a well-known journalist and founder of Capital Live SA 99.0 FM, was last seen in Mamelodi, Gauteng. His partner was reportedly last seen in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga. Both vanished without a trace, and nearly three months later, there is still no confirmed information about their...

March 04, 2025 - Lebanon -  In a moving ceremony held at Olive Beirut in Sin El Fil on March 3, 2025, Lebanese journalists who bravely covered the recent war on Lebanon were honored during a Ramadan iftar. Organized by the Ministry of Information, the event brought together government officials, media professionals, and civil society members to recognize the sacrifices and courage of the country’s press during one of its most challenging periods. Information Minister Paul Morcos led the tribute, emphasizing the critical role journalists played in defending truth and documenting the devastation of war....

March 04, 2025 - Turkey -  In a significant development for press freedom in Turkey, a court acquitted five journalists from Halk TV of one of the charges against them and ordered the release of the channel’s editor-in-chief. The decision, announced in early March 2025, marks a rare legal victory amid ongoing state pressure on independent media in Turkey. The journalists, who have been under trial for months, faced accusations related to their reporting and alleged links to groups deemed hostile by the government. The charges have been widely criticized by press freedom advocates as...

March 04, 2025 - Malaysia -  Malaysiakini journalist B. Nantha Kumar was released in early March 2025 after being held for four days by Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over bribery allegations. He was accused of accepting RM20,000 from a source allegedly linked to a migrant worker syndicate, in exchange for withholding two news articles that would have exposed the group. Nantha, who has been with Malaysiakini since 2018, was detained on February 28 after an agent lodged a report accusing him of demanding a bribe—initially RM100,000, later reduced to RM20,000. He was held under remand while...

March 04, 2025 - Turkey -  In a case raising significant concerns about freedom of expression and the independence of legal institutions in Turkey, Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu and ten board members are facing criminal charges that could result in up to 12 years in prison. The charges stem from a statement issued by the Bar Association on December 21, 2024, condemning the deaths of Kurdish journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were reportedly killed in a Turkish drone strike near the Tishrin Dam in northern Syria while covering clashes between Turkish-backed...

March 03, 2025 - Cambodia -  The arrest of Cambodian investigative journalist Mech Dara has triggered strong condemnation from press freedom advocates, drawing attention to the shrinking space for independent journalism in Cambodia. Dara, renowned for his in-depth reporting on human trafficking, corruption, and state-linked criminal networks, was detained in late 2024 and charged with "incitement to commit a felony or disturb social order." The charges stem from his social media posts highlighting alleged environmental destruction at a Buddhist site, claims the government quickly denied. Dara’s arrest is seen as part of a larger pattern...

March 03, 2025 - Namibia -  Namibia, once considered a haven for press freedom in Africa, is now under scrutiny as journalists and advocacy groups raise alarms over increasing repression and retaliation against the media. The recent case involving senior journalist Jemima Beukes has ignited widespread condemnation, with African journalist federations and international watchdogs calling for urgent intervention. Beukes, who has earned a reputation for her critical and investigative reporting, has been subjected to professional intimidation, including denial of entry to official press conferences and exclusion from state coverage. These retaliatory actions reportedly stem from...

March 03, 2025 - Malaysia -  Malaysian journalist B. Nantha Kumar, known for his investigative reporting on migrant trafficking, was arrested on February 28, 2025, by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on allegations of soliciting and receiving a bribe. The arrest occurred shortly after he published an exposé on an immigration syndicate allegedly smuggling migrant workers into Malaysia, implicating a former immigration officer as the mastermind behind operations at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. According to MACC, Kumar allegedly accepted a bribe of 20,000 ringgit (approximately USD 4,500) from an immigration services agent in exchange for...

March 03, 2025 - Kurdish/Iraq -  Iraq’s Kurdistan Region witnessed a troubling crackdown on independent journalism with the forced closure of the digital news outlet Media21 and the arrest of four of its journalists. On February 28, Bashdar Bazyani, Dana Salih, Sardasht HamaSalih, and Nabaz Shekhani were taken from their homes in Sulaymaniyah. Their phones were seized, and the Media21 office was shut down by authorities, citing the outlet’s operation without a license. While three of the journalists were released on bail just days later, Bazyani remains in custody, fueling concerns over the motivations behind...

March 02, 2025 - Palestine -  The global community must urgently demand justice for Palestinian journalists in Gaza, who have been systematically targeted during Israel's military operations since October 2023. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 85 journalists were killed by Israeli forces in 2024, and 78 in 2023, making it the deadliest period for journalists in recorded history. Palestinian journalists, such as Ismail al-Ghoul and Rami al-Rifi, have been deliberately targeted while reporting in Gaza City, even when identifiable as media personnel. Despite these attacks, international bodies have failed to hold Israel...

March 02, 2025 - Mexico -  Journalist Kristian Uriel Martínez Zavala was tragically murdered in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico, alongside his driver, Axel Yahir. Both were fatally shot while traveling in a vehicle in the Condado de la Pila neighborhood. Zavala, 28, was the founder and director of the Facebook-based news outlet El Silaoense MX, which covered local politics and public security. He had previously reported threats and had been under state protection since 2021. This incident marks the third journalist killing in Mexico in 2025, underscoring the persistent dangers faced by media workers in the...

March 02, 2025 -Kosovo/Serbia -  The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) has been instrumental in the ongoing efforts to locate and identify individuals who went missing during and after the 1998–1999 Kosovo conflict. As of recent reports, approximately 1,600 individuals remain unaccounted for, including several journalists. Among the missing are Serbian journalists such as Đuro Slavuj and Ranko Perenić, who disappeared in 1999 while traveling to cover a report in western Kosovo. Despite extensive searches, their fates remain unknown. EULEX's collaboration with the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) has led to...

March 02, 2025 - Kazakhistan -  Oralgaisha Omarshanova, also known by her pen name Zhabagtaikyzy, was a 39-year-old investigative reporter for the independent Kazakhstani weekly Zakon i Pravosudiye ("Law and Justice"). She was last seen on March 30, 2007, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where she had traveled to cover ethnic clashes between Chechens and Kazakhs in the villages of Kazatkom and Malovodnoye. Just days before her disappearance, she had published an article identifying individuals allegedly connected to these clashes and their ties to local businesses and government entities. In the weeks leading up to her disappearance,...

March 01, 2025 - Ukraine/Russia -  On the night of February 25–26, 2025, Ukrainian journalist Tetyana Kulyk was tragically killed in a Russian drone strike on her home in the village of Kriukivshchyna, near Bucha, Kyiv region. The attack also claimed the life of her husband, Pavlo Ivanchov, a surgeon and professor at the Bogomolets National Medical University. The couple's home was destroyed in the ensuing fire, and their bodies were discovered by rescue teams upon arrival. Kulyk was a prominent journalist and editor-in-chief of the multimedia department at Ukrinform, Ukraine's national news agency. She...

March 01, 2025 - Iraq -  The independent media landscape in Iraqi Kurdistan has faced increased pressure as authorities moved to shut down the Media21 outlet and arrest four journalists connected to it. The crackdown follows months of mounting tensions between the government and independent news organizations critical of regional authorities and policies. Media21, known for its investigative reporting and independent voice, was forced to close after security forces detained four of its journalists. These arrests sparked outrage among press freedom advocates and local civil society groups, who condemn the move as an attack on...

February 28, 2025 - Burundi -  Human rights and press freedom organizations have urgently called for the release of four journalists detained in Burundi amid mounting concerns about media repression in the country. The journalists were arrested while reporting on politically sensitive issues, raising alarm about government attempts to silence independent media voices. The four journalists, including Radio Publique Africaine reporter Emmanuel Nduwimana, were detained on charges widely seen as politically motivated. Rights groups such as Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and regional organizations have condemned the arrests, describing them as blatant...

February 28, 2025 - Myanmar -  Photojournalist Sai Zaw Thaike, who works for the independent outlet Myanmar Now, is reportedly being tortured in Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison after alerting a human rights delegation to abuses inside the facility. According to Myanmar Now, the torture began earlier this year, shortly after Sai Zaw Thaike informed the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission about the mistreatment of inmates by prison guards during an official inspection visit. Myanmar Now reports that since then, he has faced daily beatings and psychological abuse, including being forced to kneel for hours, verbal...

February 28, 2025 - Azerbaijan -  Azerbaijan intensified its ongoing crackdown on independent media by arresting Fatima Movlamli, the tenth journalist connected to the Meydan TV case. On February 28, 2025, authorities detained Movlamli on charges of smuggling after raiding her home, where they confiscated €2,000 in cash along with electronic devices. Movlamli’s family has strongly denied the allegations, stating the money did not belong to her and asserting that the charges are politically motivated. Movlamli’s arrest follows a string of detentions targeting journalists and staff linked to Meydan TV, a prominent independent news outlet...

February 27, 2025 - Vietnam -  A court in Hanoi sentenced prominent Vietnamese journalist and author Truong Huy San, known by his pen name Huy Duc, to 30 months in prison for Facebook posts critical of the government. The court found him guilty of “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state” under Article 331 of Vietnam’s Penal Code. The conviction was based on 13 Facebook posts published in June 2024, which the court claimed had a “negative impact on social order and safety” due to their wide reach and engagement. These...

February 27, 2025 - Belarus -  Belarusian journalist and writer Palina Pitkevich was sentenced to three years in prison by the Minsk City Court on charges of participating in an “extremist formation.” The case stemmed from her alleged involvement with Media IQ, a media literacy project run by Press Club Belarus, which the Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) designated as an extremist organization in June 2024. Pitkevich, born in 1994 and a graduate of the Faculty of Journalism at Belarusian State University, was known for her cultural journalism and contributions to independent media. Her arrest...

February 27, 2025 -Syria -  Despite the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, investigating Syria's Captagon trade remains perilous for journalists. The assassination of journalist Mahmoud al-Harbi in November 2023 underscores the ongoing risks. Al-Harbi, affiliated with Daraa 24, was murdered shortly after reporting on a local family's involvement in Captagon production near the Jordanian border. Surveillance footage captured his execution, and one suspect remains at large, allegedly still engaged in trafficking activities. Captagon, a synthetic stimulant, has become Syria's most lucrative illicit export, with estimates valuing the trade at over $10 billion annually. During Assad's...