Shireen Abu Akleh killing: CPJ calls for international probe
Israeli and Palestinian authorities should ensure that the investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is swift and transparent, that all evidence is shared with international investigators, and that those responsible are brought to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. Abu Akleh, a reporter for the Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera, was…
Russia-Ukraine war: At least 7 journalists killed covering the conflict
At least seven journalists have been killed covering the war in Ukraine, and CPJ is investigating five other journalist deaths to determine if they were work-related. Watch this moving tribute that chronicles the stories of the journalists killed and includes testimonies from their friends, colleagues, and family. CPJ observed World Press Freedom Day this week…
CPJ Insider: May 2022 edition
Today is World Press Freedom Day! For over two months now, the invasion of Ukraine has dominated the news, and much of CPJ’s work has been dedicated to supporting journalists covering the war. From disbursing safety information in Ukrainian, Russian, and English, working to coordinate the distribution of personal protective gear, or providing first aid…
UK court brings Julian Assange one step closer to extradition; CPJ calls on US Justice Department to drop charges
A London court on Wednesday ordered the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States. The decision brings Assange one step closer to facing espionage and hacking charges in the U.S., but the extradition still needs to be approved by a British cabinet minister, and Assange’s defense can appeal to her directly. CPJ…
Attacks on journalists covering Russian invasion of Ukraine continue
More than one month since Russia invaded Ukraine, journalists continue to face grave risks while covering the war. This week, reporters have been shot, injured, and detained, and others remain missing. In Russia, authorities have detained and harassed journalists for their reporting, and the Novaya Gazeta newspaper – one of the last bastions of Russia’s…
Many journalists in exile have to leave the profession. This one saved a local Canadian newspaper
When reporters flee their home countries, many are forced to leave the profession after finding few opportunities in journalism and facing other pressures in exile. CPJ recently spoke with a Pakistani refugee reporter who not only stayed in journalism, but saved a local newspaper in his adopted country, Canada. In 2002, Mohsin Abbas was a…
“The Russian media is dead”
Russian authorities passed new restrictive legislation and blocked local and international media outlets and social media platforms in order to censor information about the war. The move plunges Russia into “an information dark age,” said CPJ Executive Director Robert Mahoney. A local journalist told Mahoney, “The Russian media is dead.” Watch Brian Stelter’s interview with…
Reporting on, and living through, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Local and international journalists in Ukraine are risking their lives to report the news as Russia’s invasion continues. Russian forces have shelled a TV broadcast tower in Kyiv, in an attack that killed five people including journalist Yevhenii Sakun. Journalists are considered civilians, and the bombing may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law. Separately,…
Afghanistan’s intelligence agency emerges as new threat to independent media
On January 19, the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) publicly called on Afghan media to refrain from publishing and broadcasting what it termed “false news and baseless rumors.” The warning amounted to the first public acknowledgement of something that Afghan journalists already knew: a tough new cop was on the beat. The emergence of…
As Russia invades Ukraine, risks mount for reporters covering conflict, CPJ calls for journalists’ protection
As Russian forces invade Ukraine, Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, explains in a Q&A the possible risks for journalists on the ground, including being killed, injured, or taken hostage, and the potential challenges of reporting amid misinformation and disinformation. If a new pro-Kremlin regime is installed in Ukraine, it “would likely…