News

March 11, 2025 - USA -  R.E. Burke, a British comic book journalist and creator, has found himself at the center of a storm after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while attempting to leave the United States. Burke, who was in the country on a tourist visa and had attended multiple comic conventions, was reportedly stopped at the border in March and subsequently held in an immigration detention center for over a week. His case has drawn international criticism and ignited broader discussions on the treatment of foreign nationals by U.S....

March 11, 2025 - Syria -  Lebanese journalist Hanin Gebran has been released from one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s notorious prisons, ending a harrowing chapter of arbitrary detention and abuse. Her freedom marks a rare moment of relief in a country where the regime continues to silence critical voices, particularly those of journalists and women. Gebran, who was arrested in Damascus in 2022, spent over two years in custody under brutal conditions. Her imprisonment was never officially confirmed, and her whereabouts remained unknown for months. Rights groups believe she was targeted for her work...

March 11, 2025 - Lebanon -  Lebanese women journalists are increasingly finding themselves at the center of an online battleground, targeted by escalating cyber violence that aims to intimidate, discredit, and silence their work. From coordinated smear campaigns to threats of sexual violence, digital abuse has become a pervasive weapon used against women in media, highlighting the growing vulnerability of female journalists in Lebanon's volatile socio-political climate. According to recent reports by IFEX, the cyberattacks often intensify when women reporters cover politically sensitive topics or challenge powerful interests. These attacks range from hacking attempts and...

March 11, 2025 - Iran/USA -  Two men have been convicted in a New York court for their involvement in a chilling plot to assassinate prominent Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad. The verdict, delivered in March 2025, marks the latest chapter in a disturbing campaign of transnational repression aimed at silencing Alinejad, who has long been a vocal critic of the Iranian regime. Masih Alinejad, known for her outspoken activism on women’s rights and compulsory hijab laws in Iran, has been living under U.S. protection since authorities uncovered multiple attempts on her life. In...

March 11, 2025 - General -  The book Murder the Truth sheds light on a disturbing and growing global effort to silence journalists and restrict freedom of expression. Through investigative research and firsthand accounts, the author reveals how state and non-state actors around the world employ intimidation, violence, and legal harassment to stifle critical reporting and control narratives. At the heart of Murder the Truth is the alarming increase in attacks on journalists, ranging from imprisonment and censorship to physical violence and assassination. The book documents numerous cases where reporters who dared to expose corruption,...

March 11, 2025 - Guatemala -  Guatemalan authorities have reimprisoned José Rubén Zamora, the founder of the independent newspaper El Periódico, sparking widespread condemnation from press freedom advocates both domestically and internationally. Zamora, a prominent investigative journalist known for exposing corruption, was taken back into custody in a move his lawyers described as "inhumane" and politically motivated. Zamora had been released on bail earlier this year after facing multiple legal charges widely seen as attempts to silence his critical reporting on government corruption and abuses. His latest re-arrest has intensified fears about the deteriorating state...

March 11, 2025 - Bulgaria -  Christo Grozev, a prominent Bulgarian investigative journalist and former lead Russia investigator at Bellingcat, has been the target of a coordinated Russian espionage operation. In 2023, U.S. officials alerted Grozev to a potential threat against him. Subsequent investigations revealed that a Bulgarian spy ring had been tracking him, allegedly planning his abduction. The operation was linked to Jan Marsalek, a fugitive businessman with ties to Russian intelligence. The spy ring, operating out of a UK guesthouse, surveilled Grozev across multiple countries, including Austria, Spain, and Montenegro. They devised various...

March 11, 2025 - France -  France has long positioned itself as a staunch defender of press freedom both domestically and internationally. The French government regards freedom of expression and media independence as fundamental pillars of democracy and human rights. Through various diplomatic and legal measures, France actively promotes and protects these freedoms worldwide. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs highlights press freedom as a core priority in its human rights agenda. France supports international efforts to safeguard journalists, combat censorship, and foster transparent information flows. This includes advocating at multilateral institutions such as...

March 10, 2025 - Turkey -  In Turkey, journalists face increasing repression, with house arrest serving as a significant tool for curbing press freedom. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) highlights the experiences of three reporters under house arrest: Tolga Güney, Delal Akyüz, and Melike Aydın. Charged with membership in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, these journalists have been confined to their homes for extended periods, awaiting trial. Tolga Güney, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, has been under house arrest since February 2024....

March 10, 2025 - Belize -  On February 27, 2025, Louis “Ljay” Wade, a reporter for Belize’s independent PlusTV, was physically assaulted by police officers in Belmopan while covering the recovery of two drowning victims. According to Wade, officers pinned him against a gate, seized his phone multiple times, and demanded he delete his footage or face charges. He refused and subsequently filed a formal complaint against the officers on March 4. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the incident, urging Belizean authorities to conduct an independent and transparent investigation. RSF emphasized the importance of press...

March 10, 2025 - Source: IPI -  Independent journalism in Georgia faces a severe crisis as government actions increasingly threaten press freedom and media pluralism. In early 2025, the ruling Georgian Dream party passed laws restricting foreign funding for media outlets and introduced a “foreign agent” bill. These laws prohibit broadcasters from receiving foreign financial support and require organizations receiving over 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “foreign agents.” Critics argue these measures aim to silence dissent and cripple independent media, which often relies on foreign support to operate due to limited...

March 10, 2025 - Montenegro -  The Montenegrin Parliament initiated a significant inquiry into decades of attacks and murders targeting journalists, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's commitment to press freedom. This move addresses longstanding concerns over impunity in cases such as the 2004 assassination of Duško Jovanović, the founder and editor of the daily newspaper Dan, and the 2008 assault on journalist Mladen Stojović. Despite the passage of time, these cases remain unresolved, with only one accomplice convicted in Jovanović's murder. The International Press Institute (IPI) has welcomed this parliamentary initiative, emphasizing the...

March 10, 2025 - Chad - Chad witnessed a sharp escalation in its crackdown on independent journalism with the detention of three prominent journalists in the capital, N’Djamena. Olivier Monodji, director of the newspaper Le Pays and Radio France Internationale (RFI) correspondent; Mahamat Saleh Alhissein, a reporter at Télé Tchad; and Ndilyam Guekidata, editor-in-chief of Le Pays, were arrested under serious accusations of espionage, conspiracy, and undermining state institutions. The authorities allege that these journalists had ties to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner and that they leaked sensitive information concerning national security and economic affairs...

March 09, 2025 - Palestine -  During the recent conflict in Gaza, Israeli forces killed 24 Palestinian female journalists, marking a devastating blow to media workers in the region. According to the Government Media Office in Gaza, these deaths occurred amid intense military operations, highlighting the extreme risks journalists face in war zones. One of the notable victims was Ola Al Dahdouh, a Palestinian journalist killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted her husband’s family home in Gaza City. This incident, among others, has drawn international condemnation, with the United Nations describing the Gaza conflict...

March 09, 2025 - General -  The BBC's decision to remove the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone from its iPlayer service has ignited a significant debate over journalistic integrity and editorial responsibility. The film, which depicted the lives of children in Gaza, was narrated by 13-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri, whose father, Ayman Alyazouri, serves as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. The BBC stated that it was not informed of this familial connection before the film's release. In response to the backlash, BBC Director General Tim Davie admitted to losing trust in the documentary, stating...

March 09, 2025 - India -  On March 8, 2025, journalist Raghvendra Bajpai was fatally shot in broad daylight on the Sitapur-Delhi National Highway near the Hempur railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh. The 35-year-old, a correspondent for the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, was attacked by assailants on a motorcycle who fired multiple rounds at him. Despite efforts by locals to rush him to the hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. According to Bajpai's family, he had received threatening phone calls in the days leading up to the incident, which they believe were related to...

March 09, 2025 - Palestine -  Meta suspended two Instagram accounts belonging to Palestinian journalist and influencer Saleh Aljafarawi, known online as "Mr. FAFO," citing violations of its Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy. The accounts had a combined following of approximately 9.5 million users. Aljafarawi utilized his platforms to document the impact of the Israel-Gaza conflict, sharing firsthand accounts and images from the ground. He expressed frustration over the suspensions, noting that the accounts were removed without prior warning. In a video posted on a backup account, he stated, "Unfortunately, they were both deleted at...

March 09, 2025 - India -  In recent months, the detentions of journalists in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand have sparked significant concerns regarding press freedom and the criminalization of dissent in India. Hilal Mir Detained in Srinagar In early May 2025, senior journalist Hilal Mir was detained by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for allegedly promoting "disaffection" against India and "secessionist ideology" through social media posts. Mir, known for his contributions to various national and international media outlets, was accused of portraying Kashmiris as victims of systemic extermination. His detention is part of a...

March 08, 2025 - Palestine -  Palestinian journalist Ahmad Jalajel was detained twice by Israeli occupation forces in Jerusalem, highlighting ongoing challenges to press freedom in the occupied territories. The first detention occurred on the evening of Wednesday, March 5, when Israeli soldiers arrested Jalajel from his home in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem during Iftar, the breaking of the Ramadan fast. He was taken to a detention center in Jabal al-Mukaber, where he was interrogated for several hours before being released the same night. Just three days later, on Saturday, March 8, Jalajel...

March 08, 2025 - Palestine -  Israeli occupation forces detained several Palestinian journalists in Jenin and Jerusalem, intensifying concerns over press freedom in the occupied territories. On March 8, Israeli forces briefly detained several journalists near the Jenin Government Hospital while they were covering the military's siege around the hospital and its attempts to storm the hospital’s yard. Earlier that day, military vehicles were deployed in front of the hospital's gate, and toxic gas canisters were fired towards people present in its main courtyard. This marked the 47th day of Israeli aggression against Jenin city...

March 08, 2025 - Palestine -  Palestinian journalist Ahmad Jalajel was detained twice by Israeli occupation forces in Jerusalem, raising concerns about press freedom in the region. On March 5, Jalajel was arrested at his home in the Silwan neighborhood during Iftar time. He was taken to a detention center in Jabal al-Mukaber, interrogated for several hours, and released the same night. Just three days later, on March 8, Jalajel was again detained, this time from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Israeli forces arrested him during the evening hours, reportedly handing him a summons for further...

March 08, 2025 - Russia/UK - In a disturbing revelation from early 2025, a Russian spy ring operating in the United Kingdom plotted to kidnap and assassinate two prominent investigative journalists: Christo Grozev and Roman Dobrokhotov. The spy network, led by Bulgarian national Orlin Roussev and linked to fugitive Austrian businessman Jan Marsalek, was convicted of espionage activities carried out between 2020 and 2023. Christo Grozev, a Bulgarian journalist and lead Russia investigator for Bellingcat, has long been targeted by the Kremlin for his work exposing Russian state crimes, including the 2018 poisoning of Sergei...

March 08, 2025 - India -  Journalist and Right to Information (RTI) activist Raghvendra Bajpai was tragically killed in broad daylight on the Sitapur-Delhi National Highway in Uttar Pradesh, India. Bajpai was riding his motorcycle to meet a land tax collector when he was violently attacked. A motorcycle rammed into him, and he was then shot three times in the chest and shoulder. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, he was declared dead upon arrival. Bajpai, 35, had been actively investigating alleged irregularities in rice paddy sales and evasion of stamp duty in the...

March 07, 2025 - Iran -  Two Iranian journalists were violently attacked in separate stabbing incidents that highlight the increasing dangers faced by media professionals both inside Iran and abroad. On March 7, 2025, Meysam Rashidi, a journalist based in Ardabil, northwestern Iran, was viciously stabbed by members of the Ardabil Municipality Cultural Organization. Rashidi had recently posted a critical video exposing mismanagement of the local football team, including irregular training schedules and conflicts of interest involving municipal staff. After receiving threatening calls and being forced to delete the video, Rashidi was ambushed by individuals...

March 07, 2025 - Malaysia -  Malaysian journalist B. Nantha Kumar was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on allegations of soliciting and receiving a bribe of RM20,000 (approximately $6,000) from a foreign worker agent. The agent claimed that Kumar had demanded RM100,000 to halt the publication of two articles concerning a migrant smuggling syndicate, which was later reduced to RM20,000. The agent reported the matter to the MACC, leading to a sting operation where Kumar was arrested at a hotel in Shah Alam after allegedly accepting the bribe. Kumar, a seasoned investigative journalist...