News

February 09, 2026 - France - A French magistrate has formally requested the declassification of previously restricted government documents related to the abduction and murder of two Radio France Internationale (RFI) journalists in northern Mali in 2013, in an effort to advance a long-stalled criminal investigation. The move underscores ongoing legal and public pressure in France to uncover fuller details of the case more than a decade after the deaths. On 2 November 2013, RFI reporter Ghislaine Dupont, 57, and sound engineer Claude Verlon, 55, were kidnapped by armed men near Kidal as they were...

February 09, 2026 - Palestine - Dr Tahseen Al-Astal, the deputy head of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, has articulated a strong message about the role of media workers amid the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, asserting that journalists must convey the experiences of the Palestinian people and expose what he described as a “slow-moving genocide.” The comments were made during a phone interview with Egypt’s Extra News channel on 8 February 2026, as fighting and humanitarian crises persist in the enclave. Al-Astal said that Gaza remains under constant military pressure despite periodic announcements of...

February 09, 2026 - Venezuela - Several Venezuelan political prisoners were reunited with their families on 8 February 2026 following a series of releases ordered by the acting government in Caracas, marking a notable moment in the nation’s ongoing political transition and efforts to address international calls to free detainees held on politically charged charges. The releases and reunions occurred against the backdrop of broader prisoner liberation measures that have unfolded in Venezuela in recent weeks. Family members and supporters gathered outside the Bolivarian National Police headquarters in Los Guayos as detainees were escorted out...

February 09, 2026 - Kashmir -  International and regional human rights organisations have appealed to the United Nations to intervene in the ongoing detention of Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj, calling his imprisonment arbitrary and a violation of press freedom and human rights. Mehraj, a reporter based in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, has been held by authorities under security legislation that rights advocates say is being used to silence critical voices and restrict independent reporting. Mehraj, who has contributed to several news outlets covering political developments and civil liberties issues in the disputed region, was first...

February 08, 2026 - India - The Jagannath University Journalists’ Alliance on 8 February 2026 strongly condemned an attack on journalists who were carrying out their professional duties amid violent clashes during an inter-departmental football match at Jagannath University (JnU) in Dhaka, calling for accountability and swift justice for those responsible. The incident unfolded on 5 February at the university’s central playground in the Dhupkhola area, where tensions arose following the final of the inter-department football tournament between the Department of Islamic Studies and the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism. After a goalless draw...

February 08, 2026 - India - A third-year student journalist at Jahangirnagar University (JU) alleges he was assaulted and harassed while performing reporting duties on campus, prompting him to file an official complaint with university authorities on 9 February 2026. The incident has raised concerns among colleagues and administrators about the safety of student reporters covering news events on campus. Arifur Rahman, who serves as the university correspondent for bdnews24.com and is a student in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, said the attack occurred on the night of 6 February near Shaheed Minar...

February 08, 2026 - Crimea/Russia - A Crimean journalist imprisoned by Russian authorities is reportedly suffering serious health deterioration amid allegations of denial of adequate medical treatment and ill-treatment behind bars, rights groups and media watchdogs say. Iryna Danylovych, a freelance correspondent from Crimea, has been held since April 2022 after being sentenced to seven years in prison on charges her supporters describe as politically motivated. Danylovych, a nurse by training who contributed to local and independent media outlets including InZhir Media and Crimean Process, was convicted by a Russian-controlled court in Crimea in December...

February 08, 2026 - USA - Washington Post publisher Will Lewis resigns reports that Will Lewis, who served as publisher and chief executive officer of The Washington Post since 2024, has resigned from his leadership role, a move that comes just days after the newspaper announced sweeping layoffs that eliminated roughly one-third of its newsroom staff. The resignation was confirmed on 7 February 2026 and has ignited significant debate over the direction of one of America’s most influential news organisations. Lewis’s departure follows a particularly turbulent period at The Washington Post, marked by major cost-cutting...

February 08, 2026 - Bangladesh -  Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and media organisations have condemned the alleged late-night detention of 21 journalists and staff members from the Bangladesh Times office in Dhaka, calling it an authoritarian move and a serious threat to press freedom ahead of the country’s national elections. The incident has sparked widespread concern about the safety and independence of journalists in Bangladesh. On the evening of 8 February 2026, Bangladesh Army personnel entered the Nikunja area newsroom of the Bangladesh Times — an online news outlet — and took 21 people, including...

February 08, 2026 - Scotland - A former reporter with The Shetland Times has been recognised as one of Scotland’s most promising journalistic talents after achieving significant success at the Highlands and Islands Press Ball and Media Awards. The journalist was named a rising star of the profession after winning four awards at the annual ceremony, which celebrates excellence in regional and local journalism across Scotland. The Highlands and Islands Press Ball and Media Awards are regarded as a key event for recognising high-quality reporting, photography, and storytelling from newspapers and media outlets serving communities...

February 07, 2026 - USA - Authorities investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, have recovered blood evidence at her home, reinforcing their belief that a crime occurred and that Guthrie did not leave voluntarily. The development on 6–7 February 2026 intensifies one of the most closely watched missing persons cases involving a public figure’s family in recent U.S. history. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen by family members on the morning of 31 January 2026 at her Catalina Foothills residence north of Tucson when she failed to attend...

February 07, 2026 - Iran - Journalists working for BBC Persian say they have been subjected to surveillance and that the Iranian government is monitoring their communications, digital activity, and movements, and targeting their relatives inside Iran in an apparent effort to intimidate staff and discourage critical reporting on Iranian affairs. The disclosures were made in statements from BBC Persian personnel in early February 2026, amid ongoing concerns about the safety of diaspora media workers covering Iran. According to BBC Persian journalists, Iranian security services have engaged in persistent monitoring of their professional and personal...

February 07, 2026 - Azerbaijan - A coalition of international and local rights organisations has called on Azerbaijani authorities to thoroughly investigate allegations of sexual harassment and abuse reportedly suffered by women journalists currently detained in connection with the Meydan TV case, warning that failure to address these claims represents a serious violation of basic human rights and due process. The Forum for Human Rights (FIDH), ARTICLE 19 and Azerbaijani civil society groups say several female journalists held in pre-trial detention have reported instances of sexual harassment, threats and degrading treatment while incarcerated — allegations...

February 07, 2026 - Peru - A journalist couple from Peru whose petition for asylum in the United States was denied say they were forced to flee their home country after receiving credible death threats linked to their reporting, but now face an uncertain future after U.S. immigration authorities rejected their claims — a decision that has drawn criticism from their supporters and immigration advocates. The couple’s case has gained media attention as an example of the challenges journalists can face when seeking protection from persecution abroad. The journalists crossed into the United States from...

February 07, 2026 - Germany - Allegations by a German journalist that she was sexually assaulted and raped while detained by Israeli authorities have drawn criticism that mainstream German media outlets have largely overlooked the claims, according to reporting by The Electronic Intifada. The accusations were made public in late December 2025 and concern events following the interception of a flotilla vessel trying to reach Gaza. The journalist at the centre of the allegations is Anna Liedtke, a German reporter and activist with the women’s organisation Zora. Liedtke publicly stated that she was raped by...

February 07, 2026 - Mali - A prominent Malian journalist is currently being held in custody and is awaiting trial on charges related to his published criticism of Niger’s military leadership, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported. Youssouf Sissoko, the publishing director of the privately owned weekly L’Alternance, was arrested and charged by Mali’s National Cybercrime Unit after a commentary in his newspaper questioned statements made by Niger’s ruling military figure about a jihadist attack. Sissoko was detained on 5 February 2026 and formally charged with spreading false news, undermining the credibility of the...

February 07, 2026 - Latin America - A growing number of Hispanic journalists are departing traditional news outlets to establish independent media presences, reflecting broader changes in the journalism landscape and the increasing appeal of self-directed reporting on community issues. Two veteran reporters detailed this trend on Horizonte, a current-affairs program produced by Arizona PBS, where they discussed why more journalists are embracing independent platforms such as podcasts, Substack, and YouTube to connect directly with audiences. Former Arizona Republic columnist Elvia Díaz is among those who have transitioned to independent journalism after a long career...

February 07, 2026 - France - Journalists at Agence France-Presse (AFP) have issued a strong public objection to a cost-cutting reform proposed by the agency’s management, warning that it could dismantle AFP’s historic global reporting network and erode its core mission, according to an open letter published on February 6, 2026. The objection reflects deep concern among staff that changes aimed at reducing costs would weaken AFP’s international presence and editorial independence. The proposed plan would sharply reduce the number of expatriate journalist positions — the roles that allow staff to be deployed abroad with...

February 06, 2026 - Palestine - Israeli army units detained and assaulted a group of journalists covering a protest in Khirbet Ibziq, east of Tubas in the occupied West Bank, local sources reported on 5 February 2026. The demonstration was held to protest an earlier Israeli raid on Al-Tahadi School, which activists said included vandalism and the confiscation of educational materials. Witnesses said journalists and activists participating in the march were seized by soldiers and settlers. According to eyewitness accounts cited by the Yemen News Agency (SABA), more than 20 activists and media workers from...

February 06, 2026 - Syria/Turkey - The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the shooting of journalist Nujan Mala Hassan, a correspondent for the Nûdem Media Foundation, by Turkish border guard forces while she was covering protests near the border between northeastern Syria and Türkiye on 20 January 2026. The incident has been widely denounced as a serious violation of press freedom and the safety of media workers in conflict-adjacent environments. According to the IFJ, Hassan was reporting on demonstrations opposing military operations by Syrian government forces when clashes escalated between protesters and Turkish...

February 06, 2026 - USA/Palestine - Representative André Carson (D-IN) has reintroduced the Justice for Shireen Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill that would require a Congressional report on the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and mandate an independent investigation into the circumstances of her death. The move reflects ongoing legislative efforts to address accountability and transparency in the case, which has drawn sustained international attention. Abu Akleh, a veteran correspondent known for her reporting on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, was fatally shot on 11 May 2022 while covering an Israeli...

February 06, 2026 - Zimbabwe - Zimbabwean journalist Memory Dube was detained and threatened with legal action after publishing a report that authorities labelled “false news,” drawing criticism from press freedom advocates who view the case as part of a broader pattern of intimidation against media workers in the country. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between state authorities and independent journalists covering governance and social issues. According to the International Press Institute (IPI), Dube, a seasoned reporter for The Standard newspaper, was summoned by police in Harare in late January 2026 and detained briefly over...

February 06, 2026 - Pakistan -  Independent journalist Sohrab Barkat has now been held in detention for more than 60 days, after authorities arrested him in late December 2025 amid a broader crackdown on media freedoms in the country. Barkat’s prolonged detention coincided with the closure of the Islamabad office of his former employer, amplifying concerns among press freedom advocates about shrinking space for independent reporting and due process violations. Barkat, a correspondent known for covering issues such as corruption, governance, and social justice, was taken into custody by law enforcement in Islamabad, where he...

February 06, 2026 - Afghanistan - An Afghan journalist working in Pakistan has highlighted the ongoing risks faced by media workers after being detained briefly by authorities in Islamabad, underscoring the precarious situation of Afghan reporters residing there amid tightening immigration enforcement. The journalist’s account has drawn attention from press freedom advocates concerned about the treatment of refugee journalists and protection for independent reporting. The journalist, identified as Sulaiman Aryan, was taken into custody on 6 February 2026 during a routine check linked to heightened efforts by Pakistani authorities to detain and process undocumented Afghan...

February 06, 2026 - Cambodia - Cambodian police have detained journalist Hem Vanna, a reporter for the independent news outlet Kiripost, after he published a series of articles about an alleged cyberscam operation in the Poipet Special Economic Zone, rights groups say. Vanna’s arrest on 5 February 2026 has sparked concern among press freedom advocates who warn that the case reflects a broader pattern of intimidation against journalists covering corruption and criminal activity. Vanna’s reporting focused on a compound in the Poipet border area near Thailand, where authorities and citizens have alleged online financial fraud,...