Progress And Justice

A documentary tribute to Fatima Hassouna’s life, work, and legacy A documentary chronicling the life and work of Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna has won a major documentary award at France’s 2026 Lumière Awards, bringing renewed international attention to her journalism and the circumstances of her death. Directed by Iranian-French filmmaker Sepideh Farsi, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk portrays Hassouna’s reporting from Gaza and her determination to document civilian life under siege. The film had earlier been selected for screening at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, a recognition that elevated both the documentary...

Award-winning reporting exposes environmental crimes and defends Indigenous rights In 2025, environmental news organisation Mongabay earned major international recognition for investigative reporting that exposed environmental crimes and threats to Indigenous rights across Latin America. Central to this success was journalist Karla Mendes, who received the John B. Oakes Award for her three-part investigation into illegal cattle ranching in Brazil’s Arariboia Indigenous Territory. Her reporting revealed how unregulated ranching expanded alongside rising violence against the Guajajara people, and her findings are now being used by federal prosecutors in a murder trial involving a forest guardian. Mongabay...

Case highlights press freedom protections for journalists covering protests Florida authorities have dismissed all criminal charges against freelance photojournalist Daniel Smith, ending a legal case that raised serious concerns among press freedom and civil liberties groups. Smith was arrested on September 5, 2025, while covering a protest near the Hillsborough County Courthouse in Tampa, where he was livestreaming and photographing demonstrators. Police charged him with offences including resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, alleging he failed to comply with instructions, despite Smith repeatedly identifying himself as a journalist. The case drew swift criticism from press freedom...

His release follows widespread criticism and advocacy from media groups Syrian journalist Iyad Sharbaji was released from custody on December 14, 2025, after a detention period that drew significant local and international concern from press freedom advocates and civil society groups. Sharbaji, known for his reporting on social issues and community developments, was detained by security forces in Damascus in late November 2025 under circumstances that initially lacked a clear official explanation. His arrest prompted a strong outcry across social media and from journalist networks, who emphasised that his work was legitimate newsgathering rather than...

Her release marks both relief and ongoing concern for press freedom in Belarus Belarusian authorities have released veteran journalist Maryna Zolatava after more than four years in detention, a development welcomed by international press-freedom advocates as overdue recognition of her right to free expression. Zolatava, former editor of the independent news outlet Tut.by, was arrested in 2021 amid a broader government crackdown on independent media and later sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony on charges rights groups widely criticised as politically motivated. During her imprisonment, Tut.by was effectively dismantled, and independent journalism in...

New initiative celebrates excellence in video journalism from underrepresented regions A new media initiative, the Global Video News Awards, has been launched to recognise and amplify outstanding journalism from the Global South, addressing long-standing imbalances in whose stories gain international visibility. Unveiled at a high-profile event in Dubai, the awards aim to honour video journalists, camera operators, producers, and documentary makers whose work deepens public understanding of social change, conflict, culture, and public-interest issues across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Entries will be judged on impact, originality, ethical reporting, and narrative depth,...

The EU honours courage and press freedom amid repression The European Parliament has awarded its 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to two imprisoned journalists from Belarus and Georgia, recognising their courage and resilience in defending freedom of expression under authoritarian pressure. The laureates are Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish-Belarusian journalist detained since 2021 for his critical reporting on Belarus’s government, and Mzia Amaglobeli, a Georgian journalist and media director imprisoned in 2025 following her coverage of political tensions and protests. Both were unable to attend the December 16 award ceremony in Strasbourg, so the...

Dismissal affirms press freedom protections for journalists covering public demonstrations All criminal charges against freelance photojournalist Dave Decker were dropped after his arrest while covering a protest outside the Krome Service Processing Center, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility near Miami. Decker was detained while documenting the demonstration and charged with obstructing a highway and unlawful assembly, accusations that press freedom advocates said wrongly targeted legitimate newsgathering. Following a review, the State Attorney’s Office concluded that Decker was clearly engaged in journalistic work and dismissed the case. Media rights organizations welcomed the decision as...

A Landmark Step for Women’s Leadership in Indian Journalism Senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty has been elected the first woman president of the Press Club of India, marking a historic milestone for one of the country’s most influential media institutions. Her election in New Delhi breaks decades of male-only leadership and has been widely welcomed as a significant advance for gender representation in Indian journalism. Pisharoty is a respected journalist known for her reporting on politics, governance, social justice, and India’s Northeast, with contributions to leading national and international publications. Colleagues regard her as a...

Acknowledging the Sacrifice of War Correspondents The Ukrainian government has initiated state compensation payments for the families of journalists killed or injured while performing their professional duties during Russia’s full-scale invasion, marking a notable policy milestone. Under the new mechanism, the first payment has been made to the father of investigative journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity after reporting from occupied territories. The program was formalized by the Cabinet of Ministers and is included in the 2026 state budget, with one-time assistance delivered through the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting. Officials...

Celebrating Excellence in Environmental Reporting Ghanaian investigative science journalist Ibrahim Khalilulahi Usman has been honoured with the Best News Story/Feature category at the 2025 Africa Science Journalism Awards, recognising his powerful reporting on coastal erosion in Ghana. The award was announced at the 13th World Conference of Science Journalists held in Pretoria, South Africa, where the Science for Africa Foundation celebrated outstanding contributions to science communication across the continent. Usman’s work, which took four months of rigorous research and fact-checking and was supported by Dialogue Earth and Wits University, highlighted the urgent and human-centred effects...

Wael Al-Dahdouh to receive 2025 Human Rights Defender Award Amnesty International has announced that it will honor Palestinian journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh with its 2025 Human Rights Defender Award, recognizing his courageous reporting from Gaza amid unprecedented personal loss and extreme danger. As a senior journalist and bureau chief, Al-Dahdouh continued reporting throughout Israel’s war on Gaza despite repeated displacement, direct threats, and the killing of multiple members of his family in air strikes. Amnesty highlighted his work as a powerful example of journalism carried out in defense of human rights, accountability, and the right of...

Channel 4 News and Guardian journalists recognized for courage and impact The British Journalism Awards 2025 celebrated outstanding achievements in public interest reporting, recognizing journalists and newsrooms whose work demonstrated rigor, independence, and courage. Channel 4 News was named News Provider of the Year, reflecting its sustained commitment to investigative journalism and accountability reporting that challenges those in power. The broadcaster’s work was praised for depth, clarity, and editorial integrity in an increasingly hostile media environment. Individual honors also highlighted the risks faced by journalists reporting from conflict zones. Guardian reporter Malak A’tantesh received multiple...

Damascus Ceremony Honors Fallen Reporters and Highlights Ongoing Risks for Media Workers Syria’s Ministry of Information held a memorial ceremony in Damascus to honor journalists who were killed during the 2024 “Deterrence of Aggression” battle, recognizing their role in documenting one of the most violent phases of the conflict. Officials, including Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa and Communications Minister Abdulsalam Haykal, praised the fallen reporters as courageous witnesses whose work preserved the truth amid chaos. They described journalists as carrying “pens and cameras like embers,” ensuring that the realities of war reached the public despite immense...

Rights Groups Warn Amnesty Is Political, Not a Shift Toward Press Freedom Myanmar’s junta has released three journalists — Sithu Aung Myint, Htet Htet Khine, and Ko Nyein Chan Wai — as part of a wider political amnesty issued weeks before national elections. While the move offers a brief reprieve, rights groups warn it is a strategic gesture rather than a sign of improving press freedom. All three had been jailed under Section 505-A, a law widely used since the 2021 coup to criminalize independent reporting. They endured harsh prison conditions and lengthy sentences based...

Poland’s Highest State Award Given to Imprisoned Journalist Andrzej Poczobut Polish-Belarusian journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut has been awarded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state honour, in recognition of his courage and unwavering commitment to human rights despite years of political persecution in Belarus. President Karol Nawrocki announced the award on 11 November 2025, noting Poczobut’s steadfast defence of civil liberties and his refusal to bow to authoritarian pressure. Poczobut, a long-time correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza and an outspoken leader of the Polish minority in Belarus, has been detained since March 2021....

Afghan Journalist Salma Niazi Wins Dual Global Honors for Courage and Truth Afghan journalist Salma Niazi, founder and editor-in-chief of The Afghan Times, has been recognised with two major international awards for her fearless reporting and steadfast defense of press freedom. She received the 2025 One Young World Journalist of the Year Award, celebrating journalists under 35 who create social impact through storytelling, and the Lyra McKee Award for Bravery, which honours extraordinary courage in the pursuit of truth. After the Taliban’s return to power in 2022, Niazi fled Afghanistan, first seeking refuge in Pakistan...

Azerbaijani Journalist Nargiz Absalamova Honoured with 2025 Free Media Award Azerbaijani journalist Nargiz Absalamova, currently serving an eight-year prison sentence, has received the 2025 Free Media Award for her fearless reporting with Abzas Media. The award, presented by Fritt Ord and Germany’s ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius, was accepted in Hamburg by Abzas Media director Gunel Safarova on Absalamova’s behalf. In a message from prison, Absalamova described how imprisonment had reshaped her understanding of journalism, transforming it from a profession into a vital mission. She expressed that every detained journalist deepens the collective silence imposed on society,...

Imprisoned Azerbaijani Journalist Honoured with US Press Freedom Award Azerbaijan – Imprisoned Azerbaijani journalist Farid Mehralizade has been awarded the 2025 John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award by the National Press Club of the United States in recognition of his reporting and his status as a political prisoner. Mehralizade, previously an economist-turned-reporter with the independent outlet Abzas Media, was convicted in 2024 on charges including “illegal entrepreneurship” and “currency smuggling” after investigations into politically sensitive topics and was given a nine-year prison sentence. These charges have been condemned by rights groups as baseless attempts to silence...

The case of Igor Kartavykh and its geopolitical implications Igor Kartavykh, executive director of the Russian-state affiliate agency Sputnik Azerbaijan, was released and returned to Russia after being detained in Baku in June as part of a major operation targeting the agency amid rising tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia. He had been charged by Azerbaijani authorities with fraud and illegal business activities related to Sputnik’s Baku office — allegations described by the outlet as politically motivated. His release reportedly followed high-level diplomacy between Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev in Dushanbe, and may have been tied...

Recognizing excellence in investigative journalism and public-service reporting At the 2025 Maine Press Association (MPA) Awards, Rose Lundy, a reporter for The Maine Monitor, was named Journalist of the Year for her outstanding work. Her investigative series spotlighted Maine’s aging-care infrastructure and elder-care policy failures, exposing significant oversight gaps and regulatory weaknesses. Lundy’s reporting provoked public scrutiny and calls for internal reviews at the state’s Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and helped spark legislative discussions about strengthening care standards. Her approach blends deep data analysis, on-the-ground fieldwork, and direct engagement with affected individuals, earning praise for journalism that “does more than...

Honored for probing Malta’s youth-sports system through investigative sports reporting Kyle Patrick Camilleri, a journalist at The Malta Independent (TMI), has been awarded the Sports Journalism Award at the 2025 Malta Journalism Awards, announced on 19 October 2025. The award recognized his article titled “Are Maltese youth sports models flawed?”, published 1 June 2025, which critically explored whether Malta’s youth-sport infrastructure is fulfilling its purpose and highlighted systemic challenges in athlete development and support. Within the competitive landscape of national journalism, Camilleri’s entry stood out for bridging sports coverage with broader societal issues—shifting from match-reporting to investigative analysis of...

Her release under a general amnesty spotlights Iran’s opaque use of security charges against the press Veteran Iranian economic journalist Shirin Saeedi has been released from Tehran’s Evin Prison after more than 21 months in detention, under a general amnesty and sentence reduction in mid-October 2025. She was first summoned to court in December 2023 and transferred to the women’s ward of Evin after interrogation. In March 2024, Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced her to five years in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion with intent to act against national security,” citing...

Amaglobeli honored for courage amid state pressure Mzia Amaglobeli, co-founder of independent outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, has been named a 2025 World Press Freedom Hero by the International Press Institute (IPI) in partnership with International Media Support (IMS). Her recognition highlights her commitment to journalism despite political pressure and her ongoing legal battles in Georgia. Amaglobeli was arrested in January 2025 during protests in Batumi, accused of slapping a police chief after an alleged verbal insult—a charge widely seen by observers as politically motivated intimidation rather than legitimate enforcement. While in pretrial detention, she undertook a...

Santos’s lens captures “Hope Has Won in Syria,” earning him the Gazeta de Fotografia distinction Portuguese photojournalist António Pedro Santos, affiliated with the news agency Lusa, has been awarded the Gazeta de Fotografia prize by the Clube de Jornalistas in Portugal. His winning entry is a powerful portfolio titled “Hope Has Won in Syria” (“A esperança venceu na Síria”), comprising images shot in the aftermath of the deposition of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The award is part of the 40th edition of the Prémios Gazeta 2024, where other categories also recognize journalistic excellence, including long-career...

Nikalayevich’s release marks a rare closure in Belarus’s pattern of punishing critical reporting Yauhen Nikalayevich, a former video correspondent for Media-Polesye, has been released from prison after serving a one-and-a-half-year sentence related to protests in Belarus. He was convicted by the Pinsk City and District Court on charges of “severely disrupting public order”—charges connected to his coverage of demonstrations in Pinsk in 2020. His arrest took place in early 2024, after he returned to Belarus following a previous period of exile prompted by earlier detentions. During the 2020 protests, he had been detained and allegedly...

When Investigative Truth Becomes a Lifeline in the Darkest Places An investigation into the death of a Ukrainian journalist imprisoned by Russia stands among the ten finalists shortlisted for the 2025 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism. The project, Viktoriia Roshchyna, Lost in ‘The Grey Zone’, was led by 45 journalists (among them from Ukrainska Pravda), who pursued the inquiry she had begun—into the thousands of Ukrainians illegally detained by Russia, a mission that cost her life. The winner will be revealed on 21 October at a ceremony held in the European Parliament in Strasbourg,...

A milestone achievement for truth-driven journalism in Africa Agence France-Presse (AFP) has won the Fact-Check of the Year award at the 2023 Africa Fact-Checking Awards, recognizing its leadership in exposing misinformation and defending factual reporting across the continent. The award was presented during the Africa Facts Summit, a major event celebrating accuracy and accountability in journalism. The winning investigation, led by AFP journalists Mary Kulundu and James Okong’o, dismantled false police claims circulating online in Kenya. Through meticulous verification, they revealed how recycled images and fabricated statements were being used to mislead the public, reaffirming...

Athens Democracy Prize celebrates Levy’s fearless reporting and moral clarity in the face of war and censorship. The City of Athens has awarded its prestigious Athens Democracy Prize to Israeli journalist Gideon Levy, honoring decades of bold reporting that confronts injustice and amplifies silenced voices. Levy, a senior writer for Haaretz and author of the acclaimed column Twilight Zone, has spent his career documenting the human impact of Israel’s occupation and exposing the suffering endured by Palestinians. At the Athens Democracy Forum, Mayor Haris Doukas described Levy’s journalism as “precise, unwavering, and essential for truth.” In...

Cuban-born journalist honored for fearless reporting and exposing power in Havana. Cuban-born journalist Nora Gámez Torres, based in Florida and contributing to The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, was recently honored with the Gold Medal of the Maria Moors Cabot Prize by Columbia University for her distinguished reporting on Latin America and Cuba. Gámez Torres had originally viewed journalism as a temporary sidestep from academia. After earning a degree in journalism in Havana and further studies abroad—culminating in a PhD in sociology in London—she entered journalism when an opportunity at El Nuevo Herald arose....

Honored in Strasbourg, Butkevych turns his award into a call for freedom for Ukraine’s political prisoners Ukrainian journalist and human rights defender Maksym Butkevych has received the 2025 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, honoring his resilience and lifelong commitment to justice. Co-founder of Hromadske Radio and the ZMINA Human Rights Center, he spent years advocating for civil liberties and inclusive civic action in Ukraine. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Butkevych joined the Ukrainian armed forces despite his deep commitment to nonviolence. Captured by Russian troops, he was sentenced to 13 years in...

Film exposes how armed groups control the country’s economy, borders, and daily life France 24’s documentary Haiti: The Iron Grip of the Gangs, directed by Catherine Norris-Trent and Roméo Langlois, has received the 2025 DIG Award for Long Reportage. The 52-minute investigation reveals how armed groups have entrenched themselves across Haiti, taking over ports, borders, and vital trade routes. By monopolizing commerce and using violence as leverage, gangs have stripped ordinary Haitians of basic freedoms and agency. The DIG Award, presented each year at the investigative journalism festival in Modena, Italy, recognizes reporting that shines...

Egypt frees its most prominent political prisoner after years in detention Egyptian-British activist and journalist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been granted a presidential pardon by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and released after spending nearly twelve years behind bars. Abd el-Fattah’s imprisonment spanned multiple sentences tied to accusations of “spreading false news,” participation in unauthorized protests, and other politically framed charges. Though officially his five-year term was supposed to conclude in September 2024, authorities had refused to account for his pretrial detention, thereby extending his confinement until the pardon was issued. The pardon was issued alongside...

Burkina Faso frees journalists after 14 months, but Atiana Serge Oulon is still missing Two journalists, Adama Bayala and Alain Traoré, have finally been freed after nearly 14 months of disappearance and forced conscription by the Burkinabe military. Their release on 17 September 2025 marks a hard-won victory for press freedom advocates in Burkina Faso, even as concerns remain for their colleague, Atiana Serge Oulon, still missing. Bayala, a columnist for private TV station BF1, and Traoré, editor-in-chief of Radio Omega’s national languages bureau (known as “Alain Alain”), were abducted in June and July 2024...

Belarus freed journalist Ihar Losik after five years in prison; reunited with family in Lithuania, justice served. Belarus has released Ihar Losik, a prominent journalist and practicing Catholic who had been serving a 15-year sentence on politically motivated charges since 2020. His release on September 11, 2025, came as part of a broader move that freed 52 political prisoners and followed negotiations linked to U.S. sanctions relief. Losik, 33, was arrested in June 2020 during the crackdown ahead of Belarus’s disputed presidential election. Convicted of “incitement” and “preparing to participate in riots,” he was subjected...

Belarus freed eight journalists, including Iryna Slaunikava, Pavel Mazheika, Yauhen Merkis, and Larysa Shchyrakova, in a sanctions-linked release. Belarus has released eight journalists who had been unjustly detained for years, in what rights groups are calling a rare but important breakthrough for press freedom in one of Europe’s most repressive media environments. The release, announced on September 11, 2025, came as part of a broader move that freed 52 political prisoners and coincided with the United States easing sanctions on the Belarusian state airline, Belavia. Among those freed were Iryna Slaunikava, a journalist with Belsat...

Jamie Vella & Robert Agius found guilty of supplying Daphne Caruana Galizia’s car bomb; sentenced to life, justice served. On 16 October 2017, investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb near her home in Bidnija after years of reporting on corruption, offshore companies, and the business–politics nexus in Malta. Her assassination shocked Europe and ignited a national reckoning over the rule of law and media freedom. Justice has moved in steps. In 2022, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio admitted their role and received 40-year sentences, while Vincent Muscat had earlier pleaded guilty and was...

Robert Telles was found guilty of murdering journalist Jeff German; sentenced to life with parole eligibility, justice served. On September 3, 2022, Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, 69, was found stabbed outside his home. His coverage had scrutinized misconduct in the office of Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, who lost a June 2022 primary after German’s reporting. Investigators quickly focused on Telles, citing surveillance of a matching vehicle and DNA evidence linking him to the scene. A jury convicted Telles of first-degree murder on August 28, 2024, after an 11-day trial where prosecutors argued...

A Lebanese-Australian journalist, Antoinette Lattouf, wins a legal battle after sharing a Human Rights Watch story about Gaza. Antoinette Lattouf, an Australian journalist and former ABC Radio Sydney fill-in presenter, was taken off air three days into a five-day stint in December 2023 after she shared a Human Rights Watch post about Gaza on her personal social media. She argued the removal was unlawful and driven by her political opinion, not any neutral policy concern. On 24–25 June 2025, the Federal Court ruled the ABC had unlawfully terminated her employment in contravention of the Fair...

Moroccan journalist Mohamed El Bakkali was freed after Israel seized the Handala ship off Gaza. Mohamed El Bakkali has safely returned to Morocco after his release from Israeli detention following the interception of the Handala ship, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, in late July 2025. The vessel, carrying activists, lawyers, medics, and journalists, set sail with humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, in an effort to break the blockade and reach Gaza directly. On July 26, however, Israeli naval forces seized the ship in international waters nearly 40 nautical miles from Gaza’s coast and...

Cambodian journalist Chhoeung Chhoeng’s killer was jailed, a rare win for press freedom. In December 2024, Cambodian environmental journalist Chhoeung Chhoeng, aged 63, was shot while investigating illegal logging in Siem Reap province. He worked for the Khmer-language newspaper Kampuchea Aphiwat and had built a reputation for exposing corruption and environmental crimes tied to deforestation. After being rushed to the hospital, Chhoeng succumbed to his injuries three days later, making him the latest journalist in Cambodia killed for pursuing stories that challenge powerful networks involved in land exploitation. In June 2025, a Cambodian court handed...

Journalist Elif Akgül was freed after 101 days in pre-trial detention over the HDK investigation in Turkey. Journalist Elif Akgül has been released after spending 101 days in pre-trial detention at Istanbul’s Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison. She was detained on February 18, 2025, as part of a wider investigation into the People’s Democratic Congress (HDK) and formally arrested three days later. Turkish authorities accused those connected to the HDK of ties to Kurdish political movements, allegations that have often been used to target activists, politicians, and journalists. Her release on June 2 followed an appeal...