Post-mortem of a ‘killing’: How the Russian state forced Novaya Gazeta to close
Berlin, November 6, 2026—Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia’s last remaining independent media outlets and a powerful symbol of fearless devotion to the truth, will cease to exist on Monday after a sustained campaign of relentless repression that over more than 30 years cost the lives of five of its journalists and finally dealt a fatal…
CPJ, partners welcome initial media reforms in Hungary, call for further safeguards
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and 12 partner organizations on Friday welcomed significant steps taken by Hungary’s new government to dismantle institutions captured under former prime minister Viktor Orbán and restore independence to Hungary’s public media and regulatory system. In a joint statement following a fact-finding mission to Budapest on November 4-6, the delegation said…
After historic election, Serbia’s new government must prioritize journalist safety and accountability
Berlin, November 6, 2026—The defeat of Aleksandar Vučić in October’s election provides a real opportunity for Serbia to reverse the backslide on media freedom that has blighted the country for 14 years. Serbia’s incoming government must now prioritize journalist safety, ensure past attacks and abuses are investigated, hold perpetrators to account, and introduce reforms to…
Ethiopia suspends The Reporter indefinitely in escalating assault on independent media
Nairobi, November 5, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ethiopian authorities to immediately lift the indefinite suspension of The Reporter, one of the country’s oldest independent newspapers. In a November 2 statement, the regulatory Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA) accused the Amharic- and English-language editions of the newspaper and their digital platforms of repeatedly publishing…
CPJ, partners: Tunisian authorities must release journalist Zied el-Heni
New York, Nov 5, 2026 – The Committee to Protect Journalists was joined Thursday by 16 other civil society organizations in calling on Tunisian authorities to immediately release imprisoned journalist Zied el-Heni and end the judicial harassment against him. The statement highlights three separate cases against El-Heni linked to his journalism and critical commentary, including…
New DRC rebel coalition threatens radio station, to vet broadcasts
Kinshasa, November 4, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the leaders of the new rebel movement, the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), to ensure the safety of journalist Guillaume Munguakonkwa, stop censoring Kamole FM, and allow media outlets to cover news freely and independently. On October 16, six FRN rebels, accompanied by…
Sudan amends anti-state law to target online and media publishing
New York, November 2, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Sudanese authorities to undo a new law making online and media publishing a state security crime. Under this updated law, journalists could face life in prison or the death penalty for simply doing their work. Furthermore, CPJ urges the government to ensure that cybercrime…
Iran sentences journalists under espionage law
New York, October 28, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Iranian authorities to overturn the convictions and immediately release journalists Artin Ghazanfari and Omid Faraghat. The two were sentenced to 26 and 10 years under Iran’s sweeping espionage law, which also criminalizes routine media activities. “Iranian authorities are using espionage and national security laws to punish…
CPJ, partners condemn Egyptian authorities’ shutdown of Mada Masr, stand with editor-in-chief Lina Attalah
The Committee to Protect Journalists and 138 organizations condemn the conviction of Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of the independent Egyptian news outlet Mada Masr, and denounce the court’s order to shut down one of the country’s last remaining independent newsrooms. In a joint statement, rights organizations urged Egyptian authorities to allow Mada Masr to operate freely,…
Tunisia sentences journalist Zied el-Heni to 4 years on terrorism charges
New York, October 28, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists demands the immediate release of Tunisian journalist Zied el-Heni, and the overturning of his four-year prison sentence. El-Heni was wrongfully convicted on Tuesday on terrorism charges for his reporting, and refusal to reveal confidential sources. “Sentencing Zied el-Heni to four years in prison on terrorism charges for carrying…