Chinese journalist held for reporting on Wuhan COVID outbreak wishes he’d done more
Chinese journalist Li Zehua, who formerly worked for state broadcaster CCTV and goes by the name Kcriss Li, was held by authorities for reporting on the COVID-19 outbreak from Wuhan in early 2020. In a new interview with CPJ’s China correspondent Iris Hsu and Director of Special Projects Robert Mahoney, Li said that he wishes…
Number of jailed journalists spikes to new global record
The number of journalists jailed around the world set yet another record in 2022. In a year marked by conflict and repression, authoritarian leaders doubled down on their criminalization of independent reporting, deploying increasing cruelty to stifle dissenting voices and undermine press freedom. Published December 14, 2022 By Arlene Getz/CPJ Editorial Director Worst Offenders |…
CPJ Insider: November 2022 edition
Zero-click spyware poses existential crisis for journalism: A Q&A with CPJ Technology Editor Madeline Earp CPJ recently released its special report, “How zero-click surveillance threatens reporters, sources, and global press freedom.” For this month’s Insider, we spoke to Madeline Earp, CPJ’s technology editor, about how governments use spyware against journalists–and what CPJ is doing to…
Men hold Pakistani journalist Abdul Mujeeb at gunpoint, threaten to kill him
On the night of October 7, 2022, three armed men attacked Abdul Mujeeb, the chief executive officer and editor of Ibex Media Network (IMN), outside his office in the Zulfiqar Abad Jutial neighborhood in the northern area of the Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan region. One of the men held him at gunpoint, threatening to kill him, while…
#EndImpunity: Maltese court sentences hitmen to 40 years each for role in assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia
A Maltese court sentenced brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio to 40 years each on October 14, following their guilty plea for their role as hitmen in the assassination of Malta’s leading investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017. Representatives from CPJ, Article 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, the European Federation…
CPJ Insider: October 2022 edition
Mass protests and arrests in Iran: a Q&A with Yeganeh Rezaian, CPJ’s Senior Researcher When mass protests erupted in Iran more than two weeks ago, the government cracked down hard. As clashes between security forces and demonstrators left many dead and disruptions to internet service made information hard to obtain, CPJ learned that security forces…
Iran protests: At least 28 journalists arrested amid nationwide anti-government protests
As of Thursday, CPJ has documented the arrests of at least 28 journalists in Iran during nationwide protests over the September 16 death in custody of 22-year old Mahsa Amini. Earlier in the week, CPJ called on Iranian authorities to end their crackdown on journalists and release all those arrested for covering the protests. CPJ…
#MahsaAmini: Iranian security forces step up arrests of journalists as anti-state protests spread
In Iran, at least 11 journalists were taken into custody this week as clashes between security forces and protesters have left many dead, CPJ has learned from reliable sources inside Iran. Details of those arrested are sparse amid a near-total internet blackout and reports of major disruptions to phone networks and social media networks. The…
Deadliest country for journalists in Western Hemisphere: Killings continue unabated in Mexico amid a climate of impunity
At least 13 journalists were killed in Mexico in the first eight months of 2022, the highest number CPJ has ever documented in the country in a single year. In a country characterized by corruption and organized crime, it’s unclear how many were targeted directly because of their work. “That is a crisis of press freedom that…