CPJ, partners call on ICJ to order unimpeded media access to Gaza
As local and international media workers covering the Israel-Gaza war continue to face challenges reporting the news, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is documenting a broad range of press freedom violations and advocating on behalf of journalists. To that end, CPJ, ARTICLE 19 and partners issued a statement in support of South Africa’s urgent…
Why the Israel-Gaza war has become more difficult to document
As the Israel-Gaza war enters its eighth month, CPJ’s ability to verify attacks on the press has slowed to a crawl. A feature published this week explains why the Israel-Gaza war has become more difficult to document. An unprecedented number of deaths, with more than 90 Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli forces since the start…
CPJ welcomes South Africa’s abolition of criminal defamation
CPJ welcomes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing into law a bill that abolishes criminal defamation, and urges authorities to reform other problematic laws that threaten press freedom in the country. On April 3, Ramaphosa signed the Judicial Matters Amendment Act (2023), which includes a provision repealing “the common law relating to the crime of…
CPJ calls on UN to investigate Israel’s arbitrary detention of Palestinian journalists
This week, CPJ called on the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to investigate Israel’s detention of Palestinian journalists. Israel is utilizing administrative detention to hold a record number of Palestinian journalists without charge during the war. We are calling on the Working Group specifically to investigate the cases of detained journalists Moath Amarneh,…
IDF assaulted, detained Al-Jazeera journalist in hospital raid
On Monday night, Al-Jazeera reporter Ismail Al-Ghoul was released by Israeli forces after being held for nearly 12 hours. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Al-Ghoul recounted how he and several other journalists were assaulted by IDF soldiers, whom he said destroyed the journalists’ tent and damaged their equipment and press vehicles. Al-Ghoul said the journalists…
CPJ, Amnesty International report finds systemic flaws in Mexico’s journalist protections
Yesterday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Amnesty International published the findings of a joint investigation into Mexico’s Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. The report, “‘No one guarantees my safety’: The urgent need to strengthen Mexico’s federal policies for the protection of journalists,” revealed that the Mechanism failed to…
News outlets express solidarity with journalists in Gaza
New York, February 29, 2024—Leaders of more than 100 news organizations across the world, including the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters, have joined an open letter (full text below) affirming their solidarity with journalists reporting in Gaza. The letter, coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) with the support of the World Association…
CPJ and more than 30 news organizations express solidarity with journalists in Gaza
Today, the leaders of more than 30 news organizations worldwide signed an open letter—coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) with the support of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)—affirming their solidarity with journalists reporting in Gaza. “For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza—overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting…
French journalist Vanessa Dougnac leaves India after journalism permit revoked
New York, February 16, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Indian authorities to immediately reinstate French reporter Vanessa Dougnac’s journalism permit and cease using legal technicalities to prevent journalists from carrying out their duties. Indian authorities compelled Dougnac, a former South Asia correspondent for multiple international news organizations who is married to an Indian citizen,…
Israel-Gaza war brings 2023 journalist killings to near-record high
In a new report published today, CPJ documented 99 journalists and media workers killed worldwide in 2023. This 2023 global total is the highest since 2015 and an almost 44% increase from 2022. Documenting 2023 deaths was especially challenging due to lack of official information and the high number of killings in such a short…