Middle East & North Africa

Washington, D.C., September 27, 2019 — Algerian authorities should immediately release journalist Sofiane Merakchi and drop any charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Washington, D.C., September 23, 2019 — Egyptian authorities must release any journalists arrested covering protests and stop restricting access to news and social media websites, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Moroccan security forces arrested Hajar Raissouni, a reporter for independent news website Akhbar al-Youm, on August 31, 2019, as she was leaving her doctor’s office with her fiancé in Rabat, according to her employer and Huffington Post Maghreb. Akhbar al-Youm reported that plainclothes agents also arrested her fiancé, the doctor, and two medical staff from…

Beirut, September 12, 2019 — The militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham should immediately release Syrian reporter Ahmed Rahal and stop detaining journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Washington, D.C., September 10, 2019 — Egyptian authorities must immediately release Omar Shandi and stop harassing the families of critical journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Beirut, September 10, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned Iraqi Kurdistan authorities’ detention and deportation of Spanish freelance journalist Ferran Barber and urged the authorities to allow local and foreign journalists to do their jobs freely.

On August 21, 2019, in Topzawa, Iraqi Kurdistan, Asayish security forces affiliated with the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) arrested Roj News journalist Bryar Muhamad Mustafa, according to a report by his employer and a statement by the Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy, a local press freedom group.

Repressive governments use sophisticated digital censorship and surveillance alongside more traditional methods to silence independent media. A special report by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Published September 10, 2019 Eritrea is the world’s most censored country, according to a list compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The list is based on CPJ’s research into the…

“Ever since I started working as a journalist nine years ago, I have been under constant pressure from my family, my tribe, and my community to give up journalism. Friends have been asked by security forces to sever ties with me,” said freelance journalist Guhdar Zebari, when he met with CPJ in the empty lobby…

Washington, D.C., September 6, 2019 — Iranian authorities should release journalist Hossein Ghadyani from prison and stop jailing and harassing government critics, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.