Safety Advisories

  
A view of the site for the 2019 European Games in Minsk, Belarus. Journalists covering the Games should be aware of local regulations on media accreditation and digital safety issues. (Reuters/Vasily Fedosenko)

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.

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The WhatsApp messaging app is displayed on an iPhone in May 2019. WhatsApp is advising users to update the messaging app after a vulnerability was identified. (AFP/Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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…

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A man waves a Guatemalan national flag during a protest in Guatemala City. The country is due to hold presidential and congressional elections in June. (AP/Moises Castillo, File)

Guatemala elections 2019: Journalist safety kit

Guatemala is scheduled to hold presidential and congressional elections on June 16. The Knight Centre for Journalism in the Americas reported increased violence against the press during the country’s 2015 elections. Journalists have told CPJ they are being attacked and harassed, especially online, over their coverage of corruption, or reports on President Jimmy Morales and…

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An injured member of the media is carried away during a rally against the government of President Nicolas Maduro and to commemorate May Day in Caracas, Venezuela, on May 1, 2019. (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino)

Challenges facing journalists trying to cover latest violence in Venezuela

The long-running political crisis in Venezuela escalated on April 30, 2019, after a civilian and military uprising was thwarted by the government of Nicolás Maduro, according to news reports. Opposition leaders Juan Guaidó and Leopoldo Lopez, accompanied by members of the armed forces, congregated on a highway in eastern Caracas and called upon the armed…

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Art:Jack Forbes

Covering elections: Journalist safety kit

During elections, journalists frequently cover rallies, campaign events, and protests, which can increase their risk of being attacked, harassed, and detained. CPJ’s Emergencies Response Team (ERT) has compiled a Safety Kit with information for editors, reporters, and photojournalists on how to prepare for elections and how to mitigate digital, physical and psychological risk.

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A worker dries material for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress Party election campaigns on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, in March. India is due to hold elections from April 11 to May 19. (AFP/Sam Panthaky)

India elections 2019: Journalist safety kit

India is scheduled to hold national and provincial elections from April 11 to May 19, 2019. As the country celebrates over 70 years of democracy, journalists are under pressure from attacks, harassment, cyber bullying, and government restrictions. At least five journalists were killed in relation to their work in India in 2018, including four who…

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Residents stand on rooftops in a flooded area of Buzi, central Mozambique, on March 20, 2019, after the passage of cyclone Idai. (AFP/Adrien Barbier)

CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Idai in Southern Africa

Tropical Cyclone Idai made landfall during the night of March 14 and 15 in the Sofala province of Mozambique. The storm continued inland, causing flooding across Mozambique and parts of Zimbabwe and Malawi. The port city of Beira, Mozambique’s fourth largest city, has been flattened and the humanitarian crisis is acute, according to news reports.…

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Art:Jack Forbes

South Africa elections 2019: Journalist safety kit

South Africa, one of the media freedom beacons in sub-Saharan Africa, will hold national and provincial elections on May 8. As the country celebrates 25 years of democracy, the press in South Africa faces old and new challenges, including physical harassment and cyber bullying. The press freedom environment, including the safety of journalists, will be…

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A crowd of opposition supporters gather to listen to Venezuela's National Assembly head, Juan Guaido, in Chacao, eastern Caracas, on January 25, 2019. (AFP/Federico Parra)

CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the political crisis in Venezuela

UPDATED: This safety advisory was updated on February 20, 2019. In response to disputed election results, Venezuelans from both sides have taken to the streets in recent weeks, according to news reports. The crisis began following the inauguration of President Nicolás Maduro to his second term on January 10, after an electoral process characterized by…

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Journalists work on their phones and laptops during a press conference in Brussels in December. Hackers are using sophisticated phishing methods to try to access the accounts of reporters and human rights defenders. (AFP/Ludovic Marin)

CPJ Safety Advisory: Sophisticated phishing attacks mimic 2FA

The cybersecurity research group CERTFA has reported an increase in sophisticated phishing attacks against journalists and human rights defenders. These attacks, which are global, have also targeted individuals who use more robust email providers or two-step verification (2FA) for their email and social media accounts.

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