U.S. elections 2020: Journalist safety kit
Updated June 25, 2020 The United States is scheduled to hold presidential and congressional elections on November 3, 2020. Journalists covering elections and political rallies in the U.S. in recent years have been subjected to online and verbal harassment and even physical assault, CPJ has found. With ongoing protests against police brutality and racial injustice taking place across…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering protests in Lebanon
Protests in Lebanon have become more violent in recent weeks, with approximately 500 protesters and members of the security forces injured, according to reports. Lebanese authorities have used water cannon, batons, rubber bullets and, on occasion, fired teargas directly at protesters, according to reports. Protesters have thrown projectiles including molotov cocktails, stones and fireworks, directed…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Iraq Safety Advisory
In wake of the January 3, 2020, U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis, pro-Iranian militias have warned that “all retaliation options are on the table,” as reported by The Independent. According to CPJ research, pro-Iran militias, including those known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), have…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering unrest and elections in Algeria
Protests are taking place across Algeria ahead of a presidential election that is scheduled to take place on December 12, according to reports. The December vote comes after the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who stepped down from power after 20 years of rule amid widespread protests at the start of the year, according to…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering Rojava and northern Syria
Following Turkey’s military incursion into northern Syria in October, dozens of local and international journalists have reported on developments from the region. The military action has increased risks for journalists, with at least three killed during Turkish airstrikes last month, according to CPJ research.
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering unrest in Hong Kong
Police and protesters continue to clash in Hong Kong, especially on the weekends. Incidents in recent months that CPJ is aware of include journalists hit by pepper spray, tear gas, or projectiles fired from crowd-control weapons; police briefly detaining journalists; and demonstrators attacking journalists whom they believed were affiliated with pro-China news organizations. Journalists should…
CPJ Safety Advisory: Journalist targets of Pegasus spyware
Pegasus is a spyware created for mobile devices which transforms a cellphone into a mobile surveillance station. Researchers have documented it being used to spy on journalists. This raises significant implications for journalists’ own security and that of their sources.
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas
Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm, hit the Bahamas on September 1, 2019. The scale of the devastation only became fully clear September 4-5, with the country’s Grand Bahama and Abaco Islands being severely impacted, according to news reports.
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the European Games in Belarus
The second European Games is scheduled to take place in Minsk, Belarus, from June 21 to June 30. Local and international journalists covering the Games should be aware of media regulations, the potential for data theft, and the risk of a digital security breach.
CPJ Safety Advisory: Spyware vulnerability found in WhatsApp
[EDITOR’S NOTE: See CPJ’s updated safety advisory here https://cpj.org/2019/11/cpj-safety-advisory-journalist-targets-of-pegasus-.php.] New York, May 14, 2019–A vulnerability that infects phones with spyware has been identified in the messaging app WhatsApp, according to reports. The attack targets users of Android and iPhone and involves calling users over WhatsApp. Those targeted report receiving a series of missed calls from…