Middle East & North Africa

  
Alerts
A damaged building is seen in Idlib, Syria, on May 25, 2019. Several journalists were recently injured by government forces in Idlib and Hama. (Reuters/Khalil Ashawi)

Journalists injured, fired upon while covering clashes in northern Syria

Beirut, May 29, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on the Syrian authorities to respect the civilian status of journalists covering airstrikes and clashes in the northwestern part of the country.

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Alerts
Tehran, Iran, is seen on May 26, 2017. A Tehran court recently announced new charges and high bail against Sedaye Parsi editor-in-chief Masoud Kazemi. (AP/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Iran jails Sedaye Parsi editor Masoud Kazemi on new national security charges

Washington, D.C., May 22, 2019 – Iranian authorities should release journalist Masoud Kazemi and clarify or drop the charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Earlier today, Kazemi, editor-in-chief of the monthly Sedaye Parsi political magazine, arrived at the Tehran Revolutionary Guard Corps Branch 28 court to stand trial on anti-state propaganda…

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Features & Analysis
British photojournalist Paul Conroy, pictured on his way to a hospital in the U.K. in 2012, after surviving a bombing in Homs, Syria. The attack and Conroy's escape from Syria are featured in the documentary, Under the Wire. (The Sunday Times/Ray Wells)

‘We face a different danger,’ war photographer Paul Conroy says

In a Q&A with CPJ, British war photographer Paul Conroy discusses his last assignment with Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin in Syria, in 2012, and the dangers for photojournalists, especially when covering conflict.

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Case
Security forces are seen in east Beirut, Lebanon, on May 9, 2019. Security forces recently raided the Beirut office of Al-Akhbar newspaper. (AP/Hassan Ammar)

Lebanese security forces raid Beirut office of Al-Akhbar newspaper

On May 8, 2019, Lebanese state security forces raided the office of the independent Beirut-based daily newspaper Al-Akhbar, according to news reports, the regional press freedom group Skeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom, and a report by Al-Akhbar Deputy Editor Pierre Abi Saab.

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Case
A photo of fighters taken by Reuters photographer Hani Amara, south of Tripoli, on May 7. Amara was injured while covering clashes in Libya on May 12. (Reuters/Hani Amara)

Reuters photojournalist Hani Amara shot while covering Libya clashes

On May 12, 2019, Hani Amara, a photographer and videographer for Reuters, was shot in the leg while covering clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli, according to news reports, social media posts and the Libyan Center for Freedom of the Press, a local press freedom group.

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Case
Security forces are seen closing down the private Nessma TV broadcaster on April 25, 2019, in Rades, Tunisia. (AFP/Fethi Belaid)

Tunisian media regulator shuts down Nessma TV, citing regulatory violation

On April 25, 2019, Tunisian police raided the studios of privately owned television broadcaster Nessma TV and confiscated its broadcasting equipment following a ruling by the High Independent Authority of Audiovisual Communication, the country’s media regulator, stating that the broadcaster did not have proper legal status, according to Reuters and local news reports.

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Alerts
The May 11 issue of reformist magazine Seda is seen in Tehran, Iran, on May 12, 2019. The magazine has been suspended by the country's Culture and Media court. (AP/Vahid Salemi)

Iranian reformist magazine Seda suspended after urging negotiations with US

Washington, D.C., May 14, 2019 — Iranian authorities should immediately lift the suspension of Seda magazine and stop harassing critical media outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Alerts
Military vehicles are seen in Salah al-Din, south of Tripoli, Libya, on May 7, 2019. Two Libyan journalists were recently abducted in Tripoli by forces affiliated with the Libyan National Army. (Reuters/Hani Amara)

Libyan journalists Mohamed al-Qurj and Mohamed al-Shibani missing since May 2

New York, May 9, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned about the safety of Mohamed al-Qurj and Mohamed al-Shibani, Libyan journalists with Qatar-based private television broadcaster Libya Alahrar, who disappeared on May 2.

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Alerts
The explosion from an Israeli airstrike is seen in Gaza City on May 4, 2019. A building housing the Turkish Anadolu news agency's Gaza office was destroyed by Israeli forces that evening. (AFP/Mahmud Hams)

Israeli forces destroy Gaza office of Turkish Anadolu news agency

Beirut, May 9, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the Israeli bombing of Turkish-stated owned news outlet Anadolu Agency’s Gaza office on May 4.

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Features & Analysis
A banner depicting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is seen outside a polling station, during the referendum on draft constitutional amendments, in Cairo, Egypt, on April 20, 2019. (Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

Egypt tests new censorship law with handling of al-Mashhad website block

Magdy Shandi, editor-in-chief of the Cairo-based independent newspaper al-Mashhad, planned to send 30 journalists to report from polling stations while votes were being cast in Egypt’s constitutional referendum between April 20 and April 22. He ended up ordering them to stay away, he told CPJ in a telephone interview in May. The state’s media regulator…

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