News

March 13, 2025 - Russia -  Moscow court sentenced four Russian journalists—Antonina Favorskaya, Sergei Karelin, Konstantin Gabov, and Artem Kriger—to five and a half years in prison each on charges of extremism. The prosecution alleged their involvement with the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), an organization founded by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, which has been banned in Russia and designated as an extremist group. The journalists denied the charges, asserting that their work was independent and journalistic. The trial was conducted behind closed doors, raising concerns among press freedom advocates about the transparency and fairness...

March 13, 2025 - Iraq -  Reports confirmed that Sherwan Sherwani, a Kurdish journalist imprisoned since 2020, is expected to be released soon after serving more than four years behind bars. Sherwani was detained during the anti-government protests in the Duhok region and was among a group known as the Badinan detainees. Originally sentenced to six years on charges of “endangering national security,” his sentence was later reduced, making his release imminent. Sherwani’s imprisonment drew widespread criticism from human rights groups and press freedom advocates. Amnesty International and other organizations denounced the charges against him...

March 13, 2025 - General -  The UK’s Royal Television Society (RTS) reversed its decision to cancel a special recognition award for journalists in Gaza, following widespread criticism from media professionals and press freedom advocates. The RTS had initially planned to honor these journalists at its Television Journalism Awards on March 5 but withdrew the award on the day of the ceremony, citing concerns that recent controversies surrounding Gaza coverage could overshadow the recognition. Specifically, the RTS referenced the backlash over the BBC documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, which was removed from...

March 13, 2025 - Russia -  Russian journalist Nadezhda Kevorkova was released from detention after being convicted of "justifying terrorism" over social media posts dating back to 2018 and 2020. The military court in Moscow fined her 600,000 rubles, a reduction from the original 700,000 rubles due to her time already spent in custody since May 2024. The conviction stemmed from a 2020 post referencing the Taliban and a 2018 repost of an article about a 2005 Islamist raid in Nalchik. Kevorkova, aged 66, is known for her extensive reporting and commentary on Middle Eastern...

March 13, 2025 - Ukraine -  Ukraine’s Women in Media initiative has launched an interactive map that visualizes online attacks targeting women journalists, offering a powerful tool to raise awareness and document the digital harassment faced by female media professionals. Developed with support from the Institute of Mass Information (IMI), this digital platform allows users to see where, how, and how often female journalists in Ukraine are subjected to cyber threats and abuse. The interactive map covers incidents reported from 2021 to 2024, detailing 130 verified cases of online harassment across the country. Each dot...

March 12, 2025 - Thailand -  In a major victory for press freedom in Southeast Asia, the Appeals Court of Thailand has acquitted journalist and activist Supinya Klangnarong in a long-running criminal defamation case filed by poultry company Thammakaset. This decision, hailed by global media watchdogs as a landmark ruling, underscores growing resistance against the misuse of defamation laws to silence critical reporting. The case stemmed from a 2020 social media post in which Supinya expressed support for fellow journalists and human rights defenders facing similar lawsuits from Thammakaset. The company had filed over 37...

March 12, 2025 - Zimbabwe -  Zimbabwean journalist Jeffrey Moyo continues to languish in police custody as his legal battle drags on, raising international alarm over the state of press freedom in the country. Moyo, known for his reporting with foreign media outlets, was arrested on March 20, 2025, on what rights groups and observers describe as baseless and politically motivated charges. Authorities accuse Moyo of violating the Immigration Act by allegedly facilitating the illegal accreditation of two New York Times journalists in 2021. That charge, which had been dismissed in a previous trial due...

March 12, 2025 - Sowitzerland/China -  The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan, has publicly voiced grave concerns over the ongoing prosecution of Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai. Speaking at the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Khan criticized the use of Hong Kong’s National Security Law (NSL) to stifle independent journalism and silence dissent. Jimmy Lai, the 76-year-old founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, has been imprisoned since December 2020....

March 12, 2025 - Azerbaijan -  Azerbaijan’s increasingly repressive media environment continues to draw international concern, as the regime of President Ilham Aliyev systematically silences foreign and independent media voices. A recent wave of reports highlights how the government has created a near-monopoly over the country’s information landscape ahead of and following national elections, leaving little room for dissent or investigative journalism. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Azerbaijani authorities have taken deliberate steps to block access to foreign media outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Voice of America, and Deutsche Welle. These...

March 12, 2025 - Azerbaijan -  In Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev has orchestrated a relentless crackdown on independent media, transforming the press landscape into a tightly controlled propaganda apparatus. Over the past decade, the regime has employed a calculated mix of legal pressure, economic coercion, and outright repression to dismantle dissenting voices and turn journalism into a state-managed tool. According to detailed investigations and reports from regional and international rights organizations, Aliyev's administration has used the pretense of legality, through restrictive media laws and judicial actions, to silence independent outlets. These laws, often passed under...

March 12, 2025 - Azerbaijan -  Azerbaijan's ongoing crackdown on independent media has taken a troubling turn with the recent arrest and reported mistreatment of journalists linked to Meydan TV, one of the few critical Azerbaijani media outlets operating in exile. The case underscores the government's growing intolerance for dissent and its determination to crush any remaining spaces for investigative journalism. Journalist Aghjabadi Mehtiyev, arrested as part of a wider investigation into Meydan TV, has broken his silence from detention, responding to state-aligned media reports that sought to discredit his reputation. Mehtiyev denied allegations that...

March 12, 2025 - Source: Nile Post - "Witnesses say the operatives not only prevented him from filming but also confiscated his equipment before inflicting serious injuries." The Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) has strongly condemned the brutal attack on Steven Kibwiika, a Spark TV cameraman, who was assaulted by security operatives while covering alleged electoral malpractice in Kawempe North. Kibwiika was reportedly filming an incident in Namere, Kawempe North, where a group of individuals was suspected of pre-ticking ballot papers ahead of the March 13 by-election, when armed men confronted and attacked him. Witnesses say...

March 12, 2025 - Philippines -  The recent arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, following an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, has rekindled urgent calls for justice over the numerous journalist killings during his presidency. International human rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, have emphasized the deep scars left on press freedom during Duterte's administration. Duterte’s presidency, which spanned from 2016 to 2022, was marked by an aggressive and often violent “war on drugs” that drew widespread international condemnation. However, beyond extrajudicial killings of alleged drug offenders,...

March 12, 2025 - India/Belgium -  Belgian photojournalist Simon Clement has been arrested in India, triggering alarm among international media rights organizations and raising pressing questions about press freedom in the country. Clement, who was reportedly on assignment to document socio-political issues in India's northeast, was detained at Lengpui Airport in Mizoram state on March 10, 2025. Indian authorities claim that Clement violated visa regulations, entering the country on a tourist visa while engaging in journalistic work. He was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and subsequently transferred to Guwahati, Assam, where...

March 12, 2025 - India -  The recent arrest of a journalist in Hyderabad, Telangana, has ignited a storm of controversy over press freedom in India. The journalist, M. Suresh, was taken into custody on March 17, 2025, after he posted a video of a farmer praising former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), leader of the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), while criticizing the current Congress-led state government. The video quickly went viral on social media, prompting swift action from the authorities. Suresh, affiliated with a local Telugu news outlet, was arrested on charges...

March 12, 2025 - General -  The United Nations has renewed its call for stronger international efforts to protect journalists and end the culture of impunity surrounding crimes against media professionals. As outlined in recent reports and calls for input from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UNESCO, the global body is urging states to implement concrete measures to safeguard journalists and ensure accountability for violence against them. The Secretary-General’s 2025 report on the safety of journalists highlights alarming trends. At least 70 journalists were killed in 2024 alone, many...

March 12, 2025 - Kurdish/Iraq- Media freedom advocates and international watchdogs are urging the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan to immediately release Voice of America (VOA) journalist Sirwan Abbas, who has been detained under unclear circumstances since January 30, 2025. Abbas, a Kurdish reporter known for his work on political and social issues in the region, was arrested in Duhok province while covering civil unrest and has remained in custody without formal charges. According to VOA and media rights groups, Abbas was taken into custody by security forces affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). His...

March 12, 2025 - Belarus -  A powerful new feature film telling the story of imprisoned Belarusian journalist Katsyaryna Andreeva is set to premiere in Polish cinemas, drawing international attention to her case and the wider suppression of press freedom in Belarus. The film, titled “I Am Katya”, dramatizes the life and imprisonment of Andreeva, a reporter for Belsat TV, who was arrested in 2020 while covering protests in Minsk and has since become a symbol of resistance against the Lukashenko regime’s crackdown on independent media. Andreeva, whose real name is Katsyaryna Bakhvalava, was sentenced...

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...