Middle East & North Africa

Contact CPJ Middle East & North Africa

Twitter: @CPJMena
Facebook: لجنة حماية الصحفيين بالعربية
Interim Program Coordinator:
Yeganeh Rezaian

Tel: +1 212-300-9018, +1 212-300-9017
Fax: +1 212-214-0640

Knight Foundation Press Freedom Center
P.O. Box 2675
New York, NY 10108 USA

  

CPJ demands Israel halt escalating violations against journalists

Beirut, October 13, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply alarmed by a recent wave of violations committed by Israeli authorities against the press in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. Recent incidents include a local reporter shot with rubber bullets, a Portuguese journalist detained and deported, and the barring of German and…

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‘I do not feel safe’: The cost of 3 years of Israeli impunity for journalists in Lebanon

When visual journalist Ahmed Chihadeh came under Israeli drone fire in January 2025 while covering the return of displaced residents to the southern Lebanese town of Houla, he removed his press vest and hid his camera. “After what happened to my colleagues, and after seeing that there has still been no justice for those who…

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Tunisia sentences blogger Hajer Awadi to 26 months over social media post

New York, October 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately release blogger Hajer Awadi and overturn her 26-month prison sentence over a social media post concerning a security operation. On September 30, the misdemeanor chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Awadi to eight months for “praising and…

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Lebanese journalist Christina Assi calls on EU leaders to hold Israel accountable for crimes against journalists

In a letter sent on Thursday, Lebanese journalist Christina Assi is calling on EU leaders and officials to hold Israel to account for crimes against journalists in Lebanon and Gaza as part of the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council and European Council. Christina Assi was gravely wounded on October 13, 2023, in a targeted Israeli strike…

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Egyptian authorities detained six journalists working for investigative media platform Matsda2sh between Monday, September 28, and Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

Egypt detains entire newsroom of Matsadaash media platform

Washington, D.C., October 2, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release the six detained journalists working for investigative media platform Matsadaash, “Don’t Believe It”, reveal their whereabouts, ensure they have prompt access to lawyers and families, and drop any charges stemming solely from their legitimate journalistic work. The crackdown began…

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CPJ urges Morocco to end press surveillance following Amnesty report 

New York, October 1, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Moroccan authorities to immediately end the unlawful surveillance of journalists, and hold those responsible to account. This demand follows a newly published Amnesty International report documenting the use of spyware and other surveillance methods by Morocco’s intelligence services to monitor journalists, human rights defenders, and…

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Egyptian authorities arrested six journalists working for independent investigative journalism platform Matsda2sh in late September 2026.

CPJ, partners demand release of six Egyptian investigative journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined partner organizations on Wednesday in condemning the arrest in recent days of six journalists working for independent Egyptian investigative journalism platform Matsda2sh, and calling for their immediate release. Between Monday, September 28, 2026, and Tuesday, September 29, Egyptian security forces raided homes and arrested Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Abdallah…

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Iran sentences 2 journalists as media crackdown widens

New York, September 28, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Iranian authorities to overturn the convictions of two journalists sentenced on September 27, drop a new prosecution against a magazine editor, and immediately release veteran photojournalist Majid Saeedi, whose whereabouts remain unknown nearly three weeks after his arrest. “The latest convictions and prosecutions show…

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Egyptian journalist Hamdi al-Zaeem next trial hearing is scheduled for September 27, 2026.

Ahead of trial, CPJ, partners demand release of detained photojournalist Hamdi al-Zaeem

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined partner organizations on Saturday in condemning the prolonged pre-trial detention of Egyptian journalist Hamdi al-Zaeem, and calling on Egyptian authorities to immediately release him. Al-Zaeem was first arrested on September 26, 2016, then released conditionally on June 23, 2018. He was re-arrested in January 2021 and accused of spreading…

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Vigil for Shireen Abu Akleh

CPJ urges US senators to seek accountability for Israel’s killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

CPJ joined civil society organizations in a letter to the U.S. Senate on September 23, urging senators to co-sponsor and vote “yes” on Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s Section 502B(c) privileged resolution requiring the U.S. State Department to report to Congress on escalating human rights violations in the West Bank, including the killings of U.S. citizens….

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