Middle East & North Africa

New York, April 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns in the strongest terms the killing of at least three journalists in Lebanon and Gaza by Israel in one day, at least one of which was in a targeted attack. This pattern of attacks underscores a worsening climate of impunity and a blatant disregard for…

Amman, April 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the killing of Lebanese journalist Ghada Dayekh in an Israeli airstrike on her home in the southern city of Tyre on Tuesday. Dayekh, a presenter and reporter at the privately-owned Sawt Al-Farah radio station, was killed when an Israeli strike hit her apartment building, completely…

Washington, D.C., April 8, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by new reports about spear-phishing attacks against several Egyptian and Lebanese journalists aimed at compromising their Apple, Microsoft, and Google accounts.  According to reports by digital rights organizations Access Now and SMEX, unidentified entities likely hired a South Asia-focused cyber espionage group…

Washington, D.C., April 7, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release political commentator Ahmed Douma, who was arrested on April 6 at the Supreme State Security Prosecution headquarters following a six-hour interrogation, which ordered his detention for four days pending investigation. Douma is facing several charges, including publishing…

CPJ, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the Foley Foundation sent a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on April 3 urging the U.S. government to secure the immediate, safe release of American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was abducted in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on March 31. The nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations asked…

Washington D.C., April 2, 2026—Iran is now in the grip of the longest internet blackout in its history, a near-total shutdown that has stretched more than 30 days and reduced connectivity to almost zero. Imposed amid war and unrest, the sweeping, government-imposed blackout has effectively sealed off the country, cutting journalists’ access to sources and…

Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, April 1, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Iraqi authorities to take all necessary measures to secure the release of U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped in the capital Baghdad on Tuesday. “The abduction of Shelly Kittleson in broad daylight reflects an alarming breach of journalists’ safety in Iraq that highlights the…

Washington, D.C., March 30, 2026—Israeli soldiers detained and assaulted a CNN crew on March 26 in the village of Tayasir in the northern West Bank, where the journalists had arrived to document settler violence and the establishment of a new illegal settler outpost.  Within minutes, Israeli soldiers pointed their rifles at the crew of media…

Amman, March 28, 2026––An Israeli strike targeted a media car on Jezzine highway in southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing journalist Ali Shoaib of Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV, journalist Fatima Ftouni of pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen TV, and her brother, freelance photojournalist Mohamad Ftouni. According to Al-Mayadeen TV, the Lebanese journalists were reportedly en route to cover an assignment…

Amman, March 26, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an impartial investigation into the killing of Hussain Hamood, a freelance journalist who worked for the Hezbollah-affiliated broadcaster Al-Manar TV, in an Israeli strike on the southern city of Nabatieh on March 25. Two sources close to the journalist, who worked as both…