New York, June 3, 2025–The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Beh Lih Yi as the new Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific region. Beh joined CPJ in 2022 as the Asia Program Coordinator and before that she was a journalist for more than 20 years reporting from across Asia.
“Lih has led our work in a region that has the world’s highest number of imprisoned journalists, widespread impunity in journalist killings, and where we saw a spike in assistance requests,” said CPJ Chief Programs Officer Carlos Martinez de la Serna. “I am delighted to see Lih step into a new role to lead our strategy in Asia across research, advocacy, and assistance.”
“Journalism is the first line of defense against authoritarianism and disinformation, yet it has never been more dangerous to be a journalist in Asia,” Beh said. “It is in our collective interest to safeguard press freedom, which, in turn, keeps citizens informed and societies stable. As a journalist who has had firsthand experience reporting under autocratic rule, I am honored to lead CPJ’s work in the region at this critical point, and to further cement our longstanding mission of protecting journalists.”
Beh began her career at the award-winning independent Malaysian news website, Malaysiakini, before going on to work for global news outlets Agence France-Presse (AFP) and the Thomson Reuters Foundation. She reported from across Asia for over two decades, with a focus on human rights and social justice issues, and has worked as a foreign correspondent in Hong Kong and Jakarta.
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About the Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. We defend the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.