News

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...

February 27, 2025 - Nicaragua -  Nicaragua observed National Journalists’ Day amid a severe press freedom crisis. International organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), condemned the celebration as a "shameful farce," highlighting the government's systematic dismantling of independent journalism. Over the past year, four journalists were detained, three forcibly disappeared, and approximately 300 have been forced into exile due to escalating repression. The regime of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo has intensified its crackdown on dissent since 2018, enacting laws such as the Special Law on Cybercrime and the Law to Regulate...

February 27, 2025 - Russia -  Russian journalist and film critic Ekaterina Barabash was placed under house arrest by authorities in Moscow, accused of spreading so-called “fake news” about the war in Ukraine. The charges stemmed from social media posts she made condemning Russia’s invasion and criticizing its conduct during the conflict. Barabash, who is 64 and known for her cultural and political commentary, had posted statements on Facebook describing the war as a humanitarian disaster and calling out the Russian government’s actions. Russian investigators invoked Article 207.3 of the criminal code, a law introduced...

February 27, 2025 - Sudan -  A disturbing series of attacks targeted journalists in Yambio, Western Equatoria State, South Sudan, raising serious concerns about press freedom and journalist safety. The South Sudan Union of Journalists (UJOSS) reported that four journalists faced threats, including arson and intimidation, following the political upheaval marked by the removal of Governor Alfred Futuyo on February 10. Among the victims was Francis John Abui, a former Anisa FM presenter, whose house was burned down; his whereabouts remain unknown. Similarly, Radio Anisa journalist Alex Yaba's home was set ablaze on February 22,...

February 27, 2025 - Canada -  Canadian pro-Palestine journalist and activist Yves Engler was detained in Montreal after publicly criticizing pro-Israel commentator Dahlia Kurtz. Engler’s social media posts accused Kurtz of promoting anti-Palestinian rhetoric, labeling her a “genocide supporter” and “fascist” following her calls for deporting pro-Palestinian activists. Authorities arrested Engler on charges of harassment and indecent communication. He was held for five days in Bordeaux prison before being released on bail. The detention stirred significant controversy, with many seeing it as an infringement on free speech rights. Supporters viewed the charges as politically motivated...

February 27, 2025 - Turkey -  Two prominent Turkish journalists faced harsh legal penalties linked to their coverage of Kurdish political topics. Özlem Gürses received a suspended prison sentence after a Turkish court convicted her of “disseminating terrorist propaganda” for a YouTube interview with a Syrian Kurdish leader. The ruling means Gürses will avoid immediate jail time but remains under probation, with authorities signaling zero tolerance for media giving voice to Kurdish perspectives. Separately, veteran journalist Nevsin Mengu was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison on similar charges. Mengu, known for critical...

February 27, 2025 - Ghana -  During recent elections in Ghana, numerous journalists were attacked and intimidated by thugs while carrying out their reporting duties. These violent incidents targeted reporters from various media outlets, obstructing their ability to provide accurate and timely election coverage. Journalists faced physical assaults, harassment, and threats, often from politically affiliated groups attempting to suppress independent reporting. The attacks have drawn sharp condemnation from press freedom organizations, including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Article 19, and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA). These groups have expressed grave concern over...

February 26, 2025 - Azerbaijan -  Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov was released from extradition custody in Georgia after the Tbilisi City Court granted a prosecutor's request to replace his detention with bail. Sadigov had been held since August 2024, following an extradition request from Azerbaijan, where he faced charges of extortion—a claim he and his supporters assert is politically motivated due to his critical reporting on the Azerbaijani government. The court's decision to release Sadigov came as his nine-month extradition detention period was nearing its legal limit under Georgian law. He was released on bail...

February 26, 2025 - Turkey -  Global press freedom and human rights organizations have issued a strong and urgent call for the Turkish government to immediately release detained journalists, human rights defenders, and political prisoners. This comes amid growing concern over deteriorating prison conditions and the health risks posed by overcrowding, particularly as new COVID-19 cases resurface across the region. Dozens of journalists remain behind bars in Turkey, many of whom were imprisoned for reporting on sensitive political issues or for their affiliation with independent media outlets. Advocacy groups, including the International Federation of Journalists...

February 26, 2025 - Ukraine -  Ukrainian journalist Tetiana Kulyk was killed in a Russian drone attack on February 21, 2025, in the Kyiv region. The strike, which also took the life of her husband, a prominent surgeon, occurred when a Shahed drone directly hit their home in the town of Hostomel, northwest of Kyiv. Kulyk’s tragic death adds to the growing toll on journalists in the ongoing war, with press freedom groups demanding accountability and a full investigation. Kulyk, 54, worked for the news outlet Kyivska Pravda and had over two decades of experience...

February 25, 2025 - Colombia -  Colombian journalist and radio host Diomedes Farid Manrique was fatally shot on January 18, 2025, in Maicao, La Guajira, sending shockwaves through the local community and drawing international condemnation. Manrique, a well-known voice on the airwaves of Sistema Cardenal, was ambushed and killed by two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle as he left the radio station premises around 8:30 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The attack has raised fresh alarms over the dangers faced by journalists in Colombia, particularly those working in smaller cities and reporting...

February 25, 2025 - Venezuela -  Venezuelan journalist Rory Branker was arrested in Caracas on May 23, 2025, in what press freedom advocates are calling another alarming move in the government’s widening crackdown on independent media. Branker, a reporter known for his critical coverage of state institutions and constitutional reforms, was reportedly detained by security forces without a warrant while covering a protest near the National Assembly. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Branker was violently apprehended and held incommunicado for several hours before being transferred to a detention center operated by the Bolivarian National...

February 25, 2025 - Kyrgyzstan -  Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court upheld the convictions of three journalists from the investigative outlet Temirov Live, a significant blow to press freedom in the country. Director Makhabat Tazhibek kyzy received a six-year prison sentence, presenter Azamat Ishenbekov was sentenced to five years, and reporter Aike Beishekeyeva was handed a five-year suspended sentence. These sentences stem from charges of "calling for mass unrest," a claim widely criticized by international human rights organizations as politically motivated and aimed at silencing independent journalism. The convictions are part of a broader crackdown on independent...

February 25, 2025 - Zimbabwe -  Zimbabwean journalist Blessed Mhlanga was arrested and detained for 72 days following interviews with Blessed Geza, a war veteran and former ZANU-PF central committee member who openly criticized President Emmerson Mnangagwa and called for his resignation. Mhlanga, a senior journalist at Heart and Soul Television (HStv), was charged under Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly transmitting data messages that incite violence or damage to property. The interviews, conducted in November 2024 and February 2025, were broadcast on HStv and YouTube, where Geza accused...

February 25, 2025 - Philippines -  A car belonging to Filipino photojournalist Michael Varcas was bombed outside his Quezon City home in February 2025, in what media watchdogs view as a direct threat to press freedom. Surveillance footage captured two individuals on a motorcycle throwing a Molotov cocktail at the vehicle before fleeing. Fortunately, Varcas, a senior photojournalist with The Philippine Star, was not inside the car and was unharmed. However, the bombing left the vehicle severely damaged and sparked serious concern among press freedom advocates and fellow journalists. The Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines...

February 25, 2025 - Zimbabwe -  Zimbabwean journalist Blessed “Dhara” Mhlanga was arrested under the country’s Cyber and Data Protection Act (CDPA), marking a significant moment as the first high-profile case using this law against a journalist. Mhlanga, a senior reporter with Heart and Soul Television (HStv), was charged with broadcasting press conferences featuring a war veteran who publicly criticized President Emmerson Mnangagwa and called for his resignation. The charges accuse Mhlanga of transmitting data messages that incited violence or damage to property. The CDPA, enacted in 2021, consolidates several laws related to cybersecurity and...