Middle East & North Africa

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…

Amman, March 19, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an investigation into the apparent targeting of Steve Sweeney, a British correspondent for Russia Today, and his camera operator Ali Rida Sbeity, who were injured when an Israeli air strike hit just feet away from where they were filming while wearing clearly marked…

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 18 human rights and press freedom organizations in urging Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to immediately release blogger Abduljalil Al-Singace, who has completed 15 years of arbitrary imprisonment for his role in the pro-democracy movement. Since July 2021, Al-Singace,…

The Committee to Protect Journalists is monitoring press freedom violations related to the ongoing military escalation between Israel, the U.S and Iran and its spillover across the Middle East, including its regional and global impact on journalists and media workers. Since the Iran war broke out on February 28, when the U.S and Israel launched…