Russia detains Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage
London, October 14, 2026—Russia must immediately release a Japanese journalist detained on Tuesday in the far-eastern island of Sakhalin on suspicion of espionage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. The journalist, identified by media as Yuki Imai, is believed to be a correspondent for the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, a regional outlet for Japan’s northern…
At least 43 journalists detained, several assaulted, while covering protests against India’s election chief
New Delhi, October 12, 2026 — More than three dozen journalists were temporarily detained, and in some cases assaulted, while they were covering protests against the country’s chief election commissioner over allegations of voter-list manipulation in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Pune on October 10 and 11. In New Delhi, where the main protests broke out,…
Turkey: 4 more journalists arrested for ‘spreading disinformation’ as media crackdown intensifies
Istanbul, October 12, 2026—Turkey’s ongoing crackdown on independent media is continuing at an alarming pace with four more journalists arrested and placed under house arrest over the weekend on suspicion of publicly spreading disinformation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On October 9, Turkish police questioned Mustafa Balcı and İsmail Saymaz from the independent Sözcü…
Ukrainian journalists detained in Austria; authorities must urgently explain why
Berlin, October 9, 2026—Austrian authorities must urgently explain why Ukrainian investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach and his colleague Yaroslav Bondarenko were violently detained in Vienna on Thursday and held for more than 12 hours on suspicion of espionage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Friday. Both men work for the independent news website Ukrainska Pravda….
Tunisia sentences blogger Hajer Awadi to 26 months over social media post
New York, October 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Tunisian authorities to immediately release blogger Hajer Awadi and overturn her 26-month prison sentence over a social media post concerning a security operation. On September 30, the misdemeanor chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced Awadi to eight months for “praising and…
Criminal defamation threat hangs over dozens of Angolan journalists ahead of 2027 vote
In 2025, Angolan journalist Daniel Frederico fled his home country for fear that he would be jailed for defamation for an article that he did not write. His fears were realized on October 2, 2026, when he was given a 14-month sentence, despite his absence, for a 2022 report written and published by another media…
Spate of attacks on DRC press include journalist threatened over Fally Ipupa controversy
Investigative journalist Gauthier Sey Tshiang was evacuated to France on Monday for medical treatment after being assaulted and left unconscious in a street — one of a series of attacks on the press in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in recent weeks. Another journalist has been missing for a month and two are behind…
Journalist Derya Okatan arrested in Turkey for allegedly possessing classified material
Istanbul, October 6, 2026—Turkish authorities must immediately release journalist Derya Okatan and stop an escalating press crackdown that in this case involves imprisoning a veteran reporter based on flimsy evidence, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Okatan, who most recently worked for independent broadcaster TELE1 before it was taken over by the government, was…
Inside Turkey’s Lawfare: How Turkey uses its disinformation law against journalists
Istanbul, October 5, 2026—Turkish authorities have weaponized the country’s disinformation law to stifle independent reporting by repeatedly detaining and arresting journalists on charges of spreading false information based on the vague tenets of this poorly conceived legislation. This tactic fits into a global pattern of using legal systems and institutions to criminalize legitimate journalism and…
Egypt detains entire newsroom of Matsadaash media platform
Washington, D.C., October 2, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately release the six detained journalists working for investigative media platform Matsadaash, “Don’t Believe It”, reveal their whereabouts, ensure they have prompt access to lawyers and families, and drop any charges stemming solely from their legitimate journalistic work. The crackdown began…