Turkey must release journalist Ahmet Polad following his transfer from Syria after months of captivity
New York, September 18, 2026–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Turkish authorities to immediately release Ahmet Polad, a Kurdish-Turkish journalist who was transferred to Turkey this month after nearly eight months of enforced disappearance in Syria and is reported to be in extremely poor health. Polad’s lawyer, Özlem Gümüştaş, told CPJ on Friday that…
Turkey must drop charges against 3 ETHA journalists, including jailed editor Nadiye Gürbüz
Istanbul, September 17, 2026—Journalist Nadiye Gürbüz, who went on trial in Istanbul this week after spending more than seven months behind bars, must be freed immediately and Turkish authorities must stop abusing anti-terrorism laws to prevent journalists from doing their jobs, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday. Gürbüz, an editor at the socialist…
DRC journalist detained, prosecuted for sharing X post on WhatsApp
Kinshasa, September 17, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in southeast Democratic Republic of the Congo to immediately release journalist Trésor Muntu, who was detained on Tuesday after sharing another journalist’s post that criticized a politician. “DRC authorities must free Trésor Muntu and refrain from weaponizing the justice system to intimidate journalists,” said…
CPJ demands release of arrested Palestinian-US journalist near Bethlehem
Amman September 17, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israeli authorities to immediately release Palestinian-American journalist Naqaa Hamed, arrested on Tuesday at a temporary Israeli army checkpoint in the village of Tuqu, near Bethlehem. Hamed, a freelancer with the local 4D Media production company, was returning from a work assignment for Turkish…
How a Somali journalist tried to fix regional president’s Facebook page — and spent 38 days in jail
It’s been a month since journalist Mascuud Warsame was freed from a detention facility in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, but his memories of the harrowing experience are still vivid. He remembers trying to sleep in a tiny room where the lights were kept on most of the night, his stomach pains and acid reflux from…
CPJ calls on ICE to release exiled Nicaraguan journalist Luis Galeano
Mexico City, September 15, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on U.S. immigration authorities to release Nicaraguan journalist Luis Galeano, director of the radio and internet program Café con Voz, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on the morning of September 14 in Orlando, Florida. Galeano was detained while driving for…
Turkey arrests journalist Selahattin Günday over 2011 report
Istanbul, September 15, 2026—Turkish authorities must release arrested journalist Selahattin Günday without delay and stop abusing the country’s laws to harass journalists and prevent them from doing their jobs, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Günday, a former broadcast reporter for the now closed Doğan News Agency (DHA), was taken into custody by Istanbul…
Egypt must account for Sudanese journalist Ataf Mohamed Mokhtar
Washington, D.C., September 11, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of prominent Sudanese journalist Ataf Mohamed Mokhtar and the reasons for his arrest. Ataf was arrested Tuesday, September 8, 2026, from his home in Cairo, with no official announcement from Egyptian authorities on the legal basis for…
Pakistan detains journalist Muhammad Bilal Ghauri over commentary on security appointment
New York, September 9, 2026—Pakistani authorities must immediately release independent journalist Muhammad Bilal Ghauri and drop the cybercrime case filed against him over his commentary about the appointment of a senior counterterrorism official, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Ghauri, who covers news via his popular YouTube channel, was reported missing by his family…
CPJ condemns 15-year prison sentence handed down by Russian authorities to retired Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko
Berlin, September 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the harsh 15-year prison sentence handed down by Russian occupation authorities to retired Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko on charges of “espionage,” and calls for her immediate and unconditional release. The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Regional Court said on September 4 it had sentenced Levchenko, who is 64 and…