News

January 25, 2025 - Liberia -  BBC Liberia correspondent Moses Garzeawu was forcibly handled by a Liberia National Police (LNP) officer while covering Liberia’s National County Sports Meet at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Stadium in Paynesville. The incident, widely shared on social media, has reignited concerns over press freedom and the treatment of journalists in Liberia. Garzeawu, a well-known sports journalist, was in a restricted area of the stadium when Officer Michael Toe approached him. Despite possessing proper media credentials, Garzeawu was ordered to leave the area. When he questioned the demand, the...

January 25, 2025 - Turkey -  Turkey has ramped up a sweeping crackdown on political dissent, targeting pro-Kurdish and left-wing figures, including journalists, politicians, and public figures, under the banner of counter‑terrorism. In January, authorities arrested 34 individuals, comprising pro‑Kurdish and socialist politicians, journalists, and activists, on terrorism-related charges following coordinated raids across several cities. Bianet reported that at least 45 public figures, nine of whom were journalists, have been remanded in custody since mid-January, accused largely of membership in outlawed organizations or alleged terror propaganda. Among those detained were journalists from critical, independent outlets...

January 25, 2025 - General -  Pope Francis issued a heartfelt appeal for the release of journalists unjustly imprisoned around the world. Speaking after his weekly General Audience in Vatican City, the pontiff used the occasion to draw global attention to the growing number of media professionals facing persecution for their work. "I think of the many journalists who, at the cost of their lives or their freedom, courageously inform the world of the tragedies they witness," Pope Francis said. "May their sacrifices not be in vain. May all those who are unjustly imprisoned for...

January 25, 2025 - Iran -  Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, addressed the UN Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, firmly denying that Iran detains journalists or civil society figures for their professional work. He dismissed UN Special Rapporteur reports on Iran as biased, politically motivated, and based on unreliable sources. Gharibabadi did not offer names of reputable sources that Iran considers credible, but criticized the mandate of the Special Rapporteur as “an act based on continuous political mobilization against Iran,” allegedly orchestrated by select Human Rights Council member states....

January 25, 2025 - Palestine/USA/Switzerland -  Palestinian-American journalist and Executive Director of The Electronic Intifada, Ali Abunimah, was detained by Swiss authorities in Zurich just before a scheduled speaking engagement. His arrest on January 25—described by witnesses as a violent intervention by plainclothes officers—led to a three-day administrative detention and ultimately deportation. Abunimah had entered Switzerland the previous day for a Palestine solidarity event hosted by the Palestine Committee Zurich. Although he cleared a routine customs screening after approximately one hour, Zurich police later intercepted him en route to the venue. Three unmarked officers allegedly...

January 24, 2025 - General -  The CADTM article lauds Al Jazeera for standing firm amid global media constraints, describing it as “the TV channel that saves the honor of modern journalism.” From its inception in 1996, Al Jazeera carved out a daring editorial space, offering uncensored Arabic-language debates in a region typically dominated by state-controlled media. This approach transformed it into a new kind of public sphere, embracing what it calls “the opinion and the other opinion”—providing a platform without taboos and championing dissent. With its editorial courage, Al Jazeera swiftly earned the moniker “Voice of the Voiceless,”...

January 24, 2025 - Malta -  Prominent Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech—charged with complicity in the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia—has been granted bail, sparking a mix of relief and outrage. Fenech, who was arrested in November 2019 aboard his yacht and has maintained his innocence, has been detained for over five years with no trial date set. His release marks a rare concession of the legal process amid an intense investigation into political corruption and press assassination. The decision follows Maltese law, which mandates bail for defendants held beyond 30 months without...

January 24, 2025 - Malta -  Yorgen Fenech, a wealthy Maltese businessman accused of orchestrating the 2017 assassination of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, has been granted conditional bail following nearly five years of pre-trial detention. Galizia was killed by a car bomb as she drove near her home on October 16, 2017, after exposing deep-seated corruption within Malta’s political and business elites. Fenech surrendered in November 2019, accused of facilitating the murder. Although three other individuals have already admitted involvement—for planting the bomb and supplying it—this marks the first major development concerning the alleged mastermind....

January 24, 2025 - Turkey -  The 2024 BİA Media Monitoring Report has revealed a deeply troubling landscape for press freedom in Turkey, describing the year as a period when the government “made journalists' lives a living hell.” The report details widespread intimidation, judicial harassment, censorship, and physical violence against media professionals, highlighting the increasing hostility of the state and affiliated groups toward independent journalism. At least 25 journalists and five media outlets were physically attacked, while 82 media professionals faced threats, largely from individuals connected to nationalist and ruling party circles. Despite the severity...

January 24, 2025 - Belarus -  Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has filed a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his regime of committing crimes against humanity through the systematic persecution of journalists since 2020. The landmark move comes just weeks ahead of Belarus's controversial 2025 presidential election, widely considered a sham by international observers. The complaint, based on extensive documentation, outlines how Lukashenko’s government launched an aggressive campaign to silence independent media following the disputed 2020 election. According to RSF, at least 397 journalists have been arbitrarily...

January 24, 2025 - Tunisia -  Mohamed Boughalleb, a veteran Tunisian journalist, remains arbitrarily detained as part of an escalating crackdown on freedom of expression in Tunisia. His detention is rooted in a Facebook post criticizing the Ministry of Religious Affairs—criticism that led to his arrest on March 22, 2024, and an eight-month prison sentence for defamation. However, Boughalleb was not released after completing that sentence. Instead, authorities placed him in pre-trial detention under Tunisia’s controversial Decree-Law 2022-54 on Cybercrimes, accusing him of spreading “fake news” and insulting others online. The charges are reportedly linked...

January 24, 2025 - Bangladesh -  An international legal team filed a formal complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Council, urging intervention in the case of Bangladeshi journalists Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa. The pair, both prominent media professionals, were arrested in 2024 and remain in detention on what rights groups say are politically motivated charges aimed at silencing dissent. Shakil Ahmed, a former news chief at Ekattor TV, and his wife, Farzana Rupa, were accused of involvement in deadly protests during a student-led uprising in mid-2024. Despite a lack of concrete evidence, both...

January 24, 2025 - Mexico -  Mexican journalist Calletano de Jesús Guerrero was shot and killed outside a church in Teoloyucan, in the State of Mexico. Guerrero, 57, served as deputy editor of the Facebook-based news outlet Global Mexico and had been under federal protection since 2014 due to threats linked to his investigative reporting on crime and politics. According to witnesses, Guerrero was attacked by armed men on a motorcycle in the church parking lot. Despite being enrolled in Mexico’s official protection mechanism for journalists, the safeguards in place failed to prevent his assassination....

January 23, 2025 - Syria -  Ibrahim Ajaj, a veteran photographer for Syria’s state news agency SANA, was abducted from his home in Hama by two unidentified armed men. His body was found shortly after, riddled with bullets, sparking widespread condemnation from international press freedom organizations. Ajaj had survived years of working in Syria’s perilous media landscape, continuing his role through the collapse of the Assad regime in late 2024. Yet despite having threats reported by relatives, he remained vulnerable—highlighting increasing physical danger for journalists in Syria—even those affiliated with state media . The International Federation...

January 23, 2025 - Iran -  Iranian journalist and civil rights activist Mehdi Mahmoudian has been imprisoned to serve an eight-month sentence after being convicted of “propaganda against the regime.” The sentence, issued by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court under Judge Iman Afshari, also includes a two-year travel ban, a ban on smartphone usage, and a prohibition on joining political or social organizations. Mahmoudian was summoned on February 3, 2025, to the Execution of Sentences Branch, where he was taken into custody and transferred to Evin Prison. His arrest came despite an earlier approval...

January 23, 2025 - Palestine/Israel -  The Palestinian Authority (PA) arrested Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Atrash in Hebron, reportedly to prevent him from covering an Israeli military raid in Jenin. PA security forces stormed Atrash’s home in the early hours, detaining him without formal charges. The arrest followed previous efforts by the PA to bar him from reporting in the area. Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemned the arrest, calling it an “arbitrary and unjustified” act meant to suppress press freedom and block media coverage of critical events in Jenin. The network stated that Atrash...

January 23, 2025 - Syria -  Syria witnessed the deaths of two photojournalists in separate, tragic incidents that underscored the persistent dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones. On January 23, state-linked sports photographer Ibrahim Ajaj, who worked for Syria’s official news agency SANA, was found shot dead near Hama. His body was discovered riddled with bullets, and no group has claimed responsibility for the killing. According to reports, Ajaj had previously received threats. Syria’s transitional government swiftly condemned the murder and vowed to investigate the incident and hold the perpetrators accountable. This marked a...

January 23, 2025 - Kenya -  Journalist Daniel Chege, a reporter for the Standard Media Group, was violently assaulted by members of the Kenya National Police’s General Service Unit (GSU) while covering a protest in Molo, Nakuru County. The demonstration was organized in response to the death of local activist Richard Otieno, whose body had been discovered under unclear circumstances. Chege was reporting from a vehicle near the protest site when GSU officers approached and, despite his media credentials, dragged him out. According to eyewitnesses and his media colleagues, the officers tore his shirt and...

January 23, 2025 - Somalia -  Somaliland authorities have released freelance journalist Shafi’i Abdi Mohamed, known professionally as Shafii Shaaciye, after holding him in detention for one week without formal charges. His arrest on January 16, 2025, came shortly after his return to Hargeisa, reportedly in response to social media posts that were critical of the government. According to local reports, police raided Shaaciye’s home early in the morning and took him into custody. On January 18, he was presented before the Maroodi Jeh court, which extended his detention by seven days without providing a...

January 23, 2025 - General -  Wael Al-Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, has become a global symbol of journalistic courage and heartbreak. Once reporting daily from the frontlines of Gaza, he now lives in exile, physically distant but emotionally tethered to a homeland devastated by war. In just months between October 2023 and January 2024, Al-Dahdouh lost nearly his entire family. His wife, daughter, son, and grandson were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Later, his eldest son—also a journalist—was killed while reporting. Despite his unimaginable grief, Al-Dahdouh returned to the field within days, continuing...

January 23, 2025 - Iran -  Iranian authorities have escalated their campaign against independent journalism, increasingly resorting to home raids, court summonses, and threats targeting both domestic and exiled reporters. According to IranWire, the crackdown is part of a systematic effort to silence dissent and prevent critical reporting amid rising internal and external tensions. In recent months, multiple journalists in Iran have reported pre-dawn police raids on their homes, followed by official summonses to appear before state security courts. These incidents are often accompanied by vague or politically motivated charges such as “national security violations”...

January 23, 2025 - Turkey -  A Turkish court sentenced five journalists to prison following a retrial related to alleged links with the exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup. The verdict, issued by the 25th Istanbul Court of Serious Crimes, reignites concerns over judicial independence and the ongoing criminalization of journalism in Turkey. The journalists were originally arrested in 2016 during the sweeping purge that followed the coup attempt. They were convicted in 2018 on terrorism-related charges, accused of supporting a terrorist organization through their reporting and affiliations....

January 23, 2025 - Jordan -  Jordanian authorities released satirical journalist Ahmed Hassan al‑Zoubi after he served approximately seven months in prison. His sentence was commuted to community service by the Amman Criminal Court, following an earlier one-year jail term handed down in August 2023 for a critical social media post about a transportation strike in Ma’an Governorate. Al‑Zoubi—a well-known columnist for the state-owned newspaper Al‑Rai and founder of the online platform Sawaleif—began serving his sentence in July 2024. Jordan’s Cybercrime Law, enacted in 2023, was cited in his conviction, with charges of inciting discord...

January 23, 2025 - Georgia -  Veteran Georgian journalist and media manager Mzia Amaghlobeli, co-founder and director of the independent outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, was arrested amid post-election protests in Batumi. She was accused of "assaulting a police officer" after slapping the local police chief, Irakli Dgebuadze, following verbal abuse he directed at her. Her arrest on January 12 sparked widespread concern, especially after Georgia’s police reportedly falsified detention records and mistreated her in custody. She was denied bail and placed in pre-trial detention under what many see as politically motivated circumstances. Within days, Amaghlobeli began...

January 22, 2025 - Sudan -  Sudanese journalist Yahya Hamad Fadlallah died on January 13, 2025, just days after being released from nearly a month-long detention by Sudanese military intelligence. His death has sparked outrage among press freedom advocates and human rights organizations, who have linked it directly to torture and medical neglect during his custody. Fadlallah, a veteran journalist and respected voice in Khartoum Bahri, was arrested on December 11, 2024, along with his son. During his detention, he was reportedly subjected to repeated beatings and denied access to medical treatment for his diabetes,...