Journalist Ahmed al-Bitawi arrested while covering pro-Gaza march in the West Bank
New York, April 5, 2024—Palestinian authorities in the West Bank must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Ahmed al-Bitawi, who has been in detention since March 30, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On March 29, Palestinian General Intelligence Service agents arrested al-Bitawi, a reporter for Sanad News Agency, in the Palestinian West Bank city…
CPJ, 27 others urge Bahraini leaders to release journalist Abduljalil Alsingace
On April 3, the Committee to Protect Journalists joined 27 press freedom and human rights organizations in urging Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of Bahrain, and Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince and prime minister, to immediately release journalist Abduljalil Alsingace and ensure he receives urgent medical care. The statement was…
Gaza journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout describes 33 harrowing days in Israeli custody
Diaa Al-Kahlout, the veteran Gaza bureau chief for the Qatari-funded London-based newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, had been covering the Israel-Gaza war for two months when he became part of the news. On December 7, Al-Kahlout was detained along with members of his family by Israeli forces in a mass arrest in Beit Lahya in northern Gaza….
Tunisian authorities arrest, charge journalist Mohamed Boughaleb
New York, April 3, 2024—Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Mohamed Boughaleb and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Boughaleb, a reporter with local independent channel Carthage Plus and local independent radio station Cap FM, was arrested by Tunisian police on March 22 and charged with “defaming…
CPJ urges Sudan authorities to end suspensions of 3 news outlets
New York, April 3, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that the Sudanese Ministry of Media and Culture has suspended the work of news outlets Sky News Arabia, Al Arabiya, and Al Hadath in Sudan and urges authorities to allow the channels to resume operating. On Tuesday, Sudan’s Ministry of Media and Culture suspended…
Gaza journalists struggle to report as they ‘expect to die daily’
New York-based Hoda Osman has spent the past six months helping Gaza journalists replace cameras, laptops, and phones lost or damaged in the Israel-Gaza war. More than 5,500 miles away, in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, Wafa’ Abdel Rahman coordinates humanitarian supplies and cash assistance for reporters under Israeli bombardment, while Rania Khayyat,…
CPJ urges Netanyahu government not to shut down Al-Jazeera in Israel
Washington, D.C., April 1, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urgently calls on the Israeli government not to close the Jerusalem-based bureau of Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera and allow the media to report freely on news events in Israel and Gaza during the current conflict. On Monday, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed a law allowing the government…
‘Your credibility is on the line’: CPJ, 41 others urge MFC member states to act on Gaza
Editor’s note: This letter has been updated to reflect an increased number of signatories. The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 41 other media freedom organizations in calling out the “collective official silence” of the Media Freedom Coalition member states regarding the killings of journalists in Gaza and further warned that this silence seriously diminishes their…
CPJ, partners urge UN leaders to release full report on journalist Issam Abdallah’s murder
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined its international partners on Friday in signing a letter urging the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) to publish its investigation into the murder of Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah, who was killed by Israeli forces in south Lebanon on October 13, 2023. Four journalists injured in the…
CPJ calls for Israel to release journalists detained during Al-Shifa hospital raid
Beirut, March 22, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israeli authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the journalists arrested at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City this week. On Monday, March 18, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a new offensive on the Al-Shifa hospital complex, arresting scores of Palestinians. An unspecified number of journalists, including…