CPJ, partners urge Maldives president to drop restrictive media bill
Editor’s note: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu signed the Maldives Media & Broadcasting Bill into law on September 18, 2025. The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 20 other civil society groups calling on Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu to withdraw the proposed Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill, warning it poses a grave threat to press freedom…
CPJ, partners call for journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio’s release as Philippines marks Press Freedom Day
New York, August 29, 2025–Ahead of National Press Freedom Day in the Philippines on August 30, the Committee to Protect Journalists and partners have called on the country’s president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and his administration to immediately release journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio as her trial nears its conclusion. The 26-year-old journalist has been held in prison for more than…
Taliban detains Afghan journalist who reports for Japanese media
New York, August 26, 2025—Taliban authorities must immediately release Afghan journalist Shikib Ahmad Nazari, who has been detained by Taliban since July after a raid at his office in the latest crackdown on journalists reporting for overseas media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Nazari, who reports for Japan’s Nippon TV News among others, was detained on July…
At least 8 reporters assaulted at Indonesian smelting factory
Bangkok, August 26, 2025—Security personnel, police officers, and community members attacked a group of eight journalists covering an environmental inspection at the PT Genesis Regeneration Smelting facility in Serang, a city west of the capital Jakarta, on August 21. At least one journalist sustained injuries that required medical attention. “Indonesian authorities must identify, arrest, and…
Hong Kong-based Bloomberg reporter latest journalist denied work visa since National Security Law
Editor’s note: This alert has been updated to include a response from Hong Kong’s Immigration Department. New York, August 25, 2025—Hong Kong authorities should ensure the right of journalists to work freely and renew the work visa of Bloomberg reporter Rebecca Choong Wilkins, who is among at least eight journalists whose work visas and entry into the city have been…
Backlash: Nepal’s police, courts retaliate as journalists expose corruption
Journalist Dil Bhusan Pathak could face up to five years in prison for alleging on his YouTube channel that Jaiveer Singh Deuba, the son of two powerful Nepalese politicians, was linked to questionable deals involving the new Hilton Kathmandu. His case illustrates a disturbing trend in Nepal, where journalists reporting on alleged corruption by high-profile individuals and state institutions…
CPJ joins 71 groups in call to secure Jimmy Lai’s release on medical grounds
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 71 other press freedom and human rights organizations in an August 21 joint letter calling on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to secure UK citizen and publisher Jimmy Lai’s release on medical grounds. Lai, the 77-year-old founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, has suffered deteriorating health, including heart palpitations…
CPJ urges Maldives president to reject ‘regressive’ media bill
Editor’s note: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu signed the Maldives Media & Broadcasting Bill into law on September 18, 2025. New Delhi, August 21, 2025—Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu should reject a bill that was recently introduced in the country’s parliament that would dismantle press freedom and place the media under government control, the second such bill…
Indian police open 2 criminal probes into The Wire news outlet
New Delhi, August 20, 2025—Two police branches in northeastern Indian state of Assam opened separate criminal investigations into Siddharth Varadarajan, editor for independent news website The Wire, its entire editorial team, including Hindi language editor Ashutosh Bhardwaj and contributor Karan Thapar, and the outlet’s parent company, the Foundation for Independent Journalism (FIJ). The investigations are…
Vietnam issues arrest warrant for journalist in hiding Doan Bao Chau
Bangkok, August 15, 2025—Vietnamese authorities issued an arrest warrant on August 14 for Doan Bao Chau for propagandizing against the state, according to a state media report and the reporter, who communicated with CPJ via messaging app. “Vietnam must repeal its arrest warrant, drop any pending charges, and cease its legal harassment of journalist Doan Bao Chau,”…