News

March 21, 2025 - Germany/Turkey -  Germany is under increasing scrutiny for its growing number of deportations to Turkey, particularly of individuals linked—often loosely—to the Gülen movement. The number of deportations from Germany to Turkey has more than doubled in recent months, with migration figures reaching record highs. This surge has sparked concern among human rights advocates, who warn that deportees are at serious risk of imprisonment, torture, and unfair trials once returned to Turkey. One such case is that of a Turkish asylum seeker who was forcibly returned from Germany and immediately arrested upon...

March 21, 2025 - Pakistan -  In a deeply troubling development for press freedom in Pakistan, journalist Farhan Mallick, founder and editor of the independent news outlet Raftar, was arrested by federal authorities in Karachi on March 20, 2025. The arrest occurred following a late-night raid on his home, during which electronic devices and documents were seized. His outlet, known for investigative journalism and critical reporting on state affairs, was also blocked by Pakistan’s media regulatory body, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Mallick's detention and the silencing of Raftar come amid increasing government efforts to...

March 21, 2025 - General -  When journalists are imprisoned for doing their jobs, society loses not just its storytellers but its truth-bearers. In her impassioned piece, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya paints a haunting portrait of her country’s silenced press, calling on the world to defend the fundamental right to free speech. Her words echo like a warning bell: Belarus is now Europe’s leading jailer of journalists, and each arrest is another step toward a voiceless, blindfolded society. Journalists in Belarus today face persecution not for distorting the truth, but for daring to tell...

March 21, 2025 - France -  In a powerful moment of justice, a Paris court on March 21, 2025, sentenced five jihadists for their roles in the kidnapping and torture of four French journalists in Syria from 2013 to 2014. Among them was Mehdi Nemmouche, a notorious figure already serving life for the deadly 2014 Brussels Jewish Museum attack. Nemmouche received another life sentence with a mandatory 22-year term before parole, sealing his fate as one of the central figures in a harrowing ordeal that left deep psychological scars on his victims. The journalists—Didier François,...

March 21, 2025 - Palestine -  Husam al-Titi was more than a journalist. He was a father, a husband, and a mentor who spent over two decades capturing voices and stories from Palestine for ABC News. After years in journalism, he chose a quieter life as a media teacher, hoping to inspire the next generation. But even in that quieter life, he wasn’t safe. On March 21, 2025, an Israeli airstrike ended everything. The missile struck his home in Gaza City while he, his wife, and their daughter slept. All three were killed. His three...

March 20, 2025 - India -  Nagpur-based journalist Prashant Koratkar was arrested in Telangana on March 24, 2025, following the rejection of his anticipatory bail by a Kolhapur sessions court. Koratkar faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, during a phone conversation with Kolhapur-based historian Indrajeet Sawant. The conversation, which reportedly included threats and offensive comments, was recorded and shared on social media, leading to public outrage and legal action. The court denied Koratkar's bail after it was revealed that...

March 20, 2025 - Uganda - Journalists from Nation Media Group (NMG) and Next Media were recently barred from covering President Yoweri Museveni’s Parish Development Model (PDM) tour in Uganda’s Bunyoro Sub-region, sparking renewed concerns about press freedom in the country. Although their names had been submitted for accreditation, they were not included in the official State House list, effectively blocking them from participating in the event’s coverage. While they initially negotiated access on the first day and managed to report, they were subsequently turned away from key activities, including the commissioning of Bunyoro University...

March 20, 2025 - Cyprus -  Allegations of migrant pushbacks by Cypriot authorities have sparked significant controversy, with international organizations, journalists, and opposition parties raising concerns, while the Cypriot government firmly denies any wrongdoing. In March 2025, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that Cypriot authorities intercepted three boats carrying approximately 80 Syrian migrants, including women and children, near Larnaca port and forced them to return to Syria without allowing them to seek asylum. Cypriot Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis disputed these claims, stating that only two boats were involved and that they were...

March 20, 2025 - USA/Iran -  Two men were convicted in March 2025 for their roles in a failed assassination plot targeting Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad. The U.S. federal jury in New York found Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov guilty of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, supporting an operation allegedly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Prosecutors described the plan as part of Tehran’s broader strategy to silence dissidents abroad. Alinejad, known for her outspoken criticism of Iran’s human rights abuses and particularly its treatment of women, has long been a target...

March 20, 2025 - Pakistan -  In March 2025, U.S.-based Pakistani investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani reported that his two brothers were abducted from their home in Islamabad, allegedly by operatives of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and local police. This incident occurred shortly after Noorani published an exposé detailing alleged nepotism by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, accusing him of placing relatives in key federal positions. According to Noorani, approximately two dozen armed individuals identifying themselves as police forcibly entered his family’s residence around midnight on March 18. They reportedly assaulted his brothers, Mohammad Saif...

March 20, 2025 - Iran -  Former President Donald Trump issued an executive order defunding the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), effectively shutting down Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia (RFA). These state-funded outlets have long operated in authoritarian regions, offering independent news and amplifying voices that challenge repressive regimes. The closure has had swift and devastating consequences. At least 10 journalists affiliated with these outlets are now imprisoned in countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and the occupied areas of Ukraine. Many were arrested...

March 19, 2025 - Philippines -  In a landmark event for media representation in Northeast India, the first Manipur Naga Journalists’ Conclave was held from March 17 to 19, 2025, at Magen Hills, Viewland, in Ukhrul district. Organized by the Ukhrul District Working Journalists’ Association (UDWJA), the three-day gathering brought together journalists from five Naga-majority districts—Chandel, Noney, Tamenglong, Senapati, and Ukhrul—under the unifying theme “Connecting Voices”. A central outcome of the conclave was the revival of the long-dormant “Syndication of Naga Journalists,” originally established in 2003 by veteran journalists including Newmai Witoubou and Ngachonmi Chamroy....

March 19, 2025 - Yemen -  Yemeni journalist Ahmed Awadhah has been missing since March 10, 2025, following a series of threats reportedly made by a Houthi-affiliated intelligence officer. Awadhah vanished from Sana’a, the Houthi-controlled capital, after previously alerting his colleagues that he feared for his safety due to increasing pressure over his reporting. His disappearance has sparked international concern among press freedom advocates, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and IFEX, who have called for his immediate release and for the Houthis to end their ongoing campaign of intimidation against journalists. According to...

March 19, 2025 - General -  The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Jan Braathu, issued a powerful call for stronger safeguards for journalists, particularly those operating in conflict zones. Speaking at the first Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting of the year, Braathu highlighted the escalating dangers journalists face and stressed the critical role they play in defending human rights, countering disinformation, and upholding democratic accountability. Braathu emphasized that journalists often serve as society’s eyes and ears in crises, risking their lives to uncover the truth. “We rely on journalists as frontline observers,” he noted,...

March 19, 2025 - Ghana -  A U.S. court has significantly reduced a landmark defamation award to renowned Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, cutting the compensation from $18 million to just $500. The case centered on damaging remarks made by former Ghanaian Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong during a podcast recorded in the United States. In that broadcast, Agyapong labeled Anas a criminal and falsely linked him to the 2019 murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale, who was gunned down in Accra after appearing in one of Anas’ corruption exposés. In March 2025, a...

March 19, 2025 - USA/Iran - In a chilling revelation of transnational repression, a U.S. federal jury in March 2025 convicted two men—Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov—of plotting to assassinate Iranian-American journalist and human rights activist Masih Alinejad. The case uncovered a murder-for-hire scheme allegedly orchestrated by the Iranian government, which placed a $500,000 bounty on Alinejad’s head in retaliation for her outspoken criticism of the regime. The attempted assassination dates back to 2022, when Khalid Mehdiyev, a would-be hitman, was arrested near Alinejad’s Brooklyn residence. He was found in possession of an AK-47-style rifle,...

March 19, 2025 - India -  In October 2024, journalist Karishma Patel resigned from the BBC, citing deep concerns over the broadcaster's coverage of the Gaza conflict and its handling of stories involving Palestinian civilians. Patel, who had served as a Middle East specialist and newsreader for five years, publicly disclosed her reasons for leaving in March 2025, highlighting what she perceived as a pattern of editorial bias and institutional failure. A pivotal moment for Patel was the BBC's response to the tragic death of a five-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab. Trapped in a car...

March 19, 2025 - Armenia - The head of Armenia’s State Revenue Committee (SRC), Rustam Badasyan, addressed reports concerning the involvement of Turkish journalists at the Margara border crossing between Armenia and Turkey. Badasyan clarified that the SRC did not facilitate or organize the journalists' visit to the border checkpoint. He emphasized that the SRC's role was limited to its standard operational duties and that any interactions with the journalists were incidental and not part of a coordinated effort. The presence of Turkish journalists at the Margara crossing attracted attention due to the sensitive nature...

March 19, 2025 - Turkey - Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç asserted that no journalists in Turkey are imprisoned for their journalistic activities, despite mounting evidence and international criticism highlighting a significant decline in press freedom. Tunç's comments, made during a meeting with media representatives in Ankara, were reported by the state-run Anadolu news agency. He claimed that Turkey had made substantial progress in press freedom over the past 23 years under the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). However, his statement contradicts reports from press freedom organizations and media monitoring groups, which have documented...

March 19, 2025 - Source: Turkish Minute -  Prominent Turkish journalist İsmail Saymaz was placed under house arrest in connection with an investigation into the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Authorities accused him of "assisting an attempt to overthrow the government" by allegedly aiding the protests through social media activity and interactions with key figures involved in the demonstrations. Saymaz, known for his investigative journalism and work with outlets such as Halk TV and Sözcü, was detained on March 19 and released two days later under house arrest, with a travel ban and the confiscation of...

March 19, 2025 - Turkey -  Veteran Turkish journalist Şahin Alpay, formerly of the now-defunct Zaman newspaper, has been a prominent figure in discussions about press freedom in Turkey. Following the July 2016 coup attempt, Alpay was arrested and faced charges related to attempting to overthrow the government. However, he and many of his colleagues have consistently denied any involvement in the coup, asserting that the charges were politically motivated. In a recent interview, Alpay discussed his newly published memoir, reflecting on his 14-year career at Zaman and his experiences during his imprisonment. He emphasized...

March 19, 2025 - Afghanistan -  In a significant escalation of its media restrictions, the Taliban has imposed a complete ban on the broadcast of women's voices by radio stations in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. This directive, issued on March 17, 2025, by the Taliban’s Directorate of Information and Culture, prohibits the airing of women's voices in any form, including entertainment programs and advertisements. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) reported that this move represents a tightening of the regime's grip on press freedoms in the region. The new regulations also mandate that media outlets refer to...

March 19, 2025 - India -  A female journalist was gang-raped in an under-construction building in the Barontek area of Pallabi, Dhaka. The victim, a reporter for a Dhaka-based daily, was allegedly lured to the location under the pretext of covering illegal activities. She was held captive overnight and subjected to assault before being rescued the following morning. Police arrested two suspects, Enamul Haque (38) and Hamidur Rahman (50), both caretakers of nearby buildings, in connection with the incident. A case was filed naming eight individuals, with an additional eight unidentified suspects. The victim was...

March 19. 2025 - India -  Mukesh Chandrakar, a 33-year-old freelance journalist from Chhattisgarh, was found murdered on January 3, 2025, in a septic tank on the property of a road contractor in Bijapur. His body showed signs of blunt force trauma, and the septic tank had been covered with a newly laid concrete slab, suggesting an attempt to conceal the crime. Chandrakar was known for his investigative reporting on corruption in public infrastructure projects, particularly road construction scams in the Bastar region. He ran a popular YouTube channel, Bastar Junction, which had approximately 159,000...

March 19, 2025 - Palestine -  Palestinian journalist Latifeh Abdellatif was detained by Israeli forces in Jerusalem’s Old City, sparking international concern over press freedom in the region. Abdellatif, a freelance photojournalist, has contributed to major news organizations such as Reuters, BBC, Al Jazeera, and ABC News. Israeli authorities accused her of “incitement” and “supporting terrorism,” based largely on her social media posts that included content related to Yahya Sinwar, the late leader of Hamas. After her arrest, Abdellatif was brought before a court via video link. Although a judge initially ordered her release, the...