Belarus frees journalist Andrzej Poczobut
New York, April 28, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release by Belarus on Tuesday of journalist Andrzej Poczobut, as part of a Polish-Belarusian prisoner exchange involving the United States, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. The swap, which included ten prisoners from various countries, took place at the Polish-Belarusian border and was confirmed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who posted a picture of…
CPJ joins call for Turkey to repeal disinformation law for its use against journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 22 press freedom and human rights organizations in an April 28 joint statement condemning Turkey’s frequent use of its disinformation law for prosecuting and imprisoning journalists. The signatories urged the Turkish authorities to release all journalists imprisoned under this law and ultimately repeal it. “Turkey’s disinformation law is structurally…
Tunisia rearrests journalist Zied el-Heni, who launches hunger strike
New York, April 28, 2026—Tunisian authorities must immediately release journalist Zied el-Heni, who has been placed in pretrial detention over a social media post last week, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. El-Heni, editor-in-chief of independent news site Tunisian Press, was arrested on April 24, 2026, after complying with a summons to appear before…
Myanmar junta denies journalist Sai Zaw Thaike medical care, adding to pattern of prison abuse
Bangkok, April 27, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Myanmar’s military junta to immediately provide journalist Sai Zaw Thaike with adequate medical care after sources at Insein Prison in the country’s largest city Yangon said authorities have refused him treatment for grave health conditions. Sai Zaw Thaike, a photojournalist with the independent Myanmar Now…
CPJ urges new Bangladesh government to fulfill poll promise and release imprisoned journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists has written to Bangladesh’s Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, H.E. Md Asaduzzaman, urging the new government to fulfill its election promise to withdraw politically motivated cases against journalists, and to drop charges and release Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, Mozammel Haq Babu, and Shyamal Dutta. The journalists have…
CPJ calls on Zambian president to champion the media as World Press Freedom Day host
The Committee to Protect Journalists wrote to Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema expressing concern over recent attacks on journalists and legislation that negatively impacts the media, as the country prepares to host the United Nations’ World Press Freedom Day 2026 Global Conference on May 3. The letter also calls on Hichilema to create a safe and…
Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin safe following detention in Kuwait
New York, April 25, 2026—Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has been reunited with his family and is in a place of safety, a legal team acting for his sisters said on Saturday. The award-winning U.S.-Kuwaiti journalist was detained on March 3 in Kuwait, where he was visiting family. “We are delighted that Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has been released…
US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin acquitted of all charges
Update: In an April 29, 2026, statement, Ahmed Shihab-Eldin’s attorneys clarified that the journalist was acquitted on only one of three charges. Washington, D.C., April 23, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes a Kuwaiti court’s acquittal of U.S.-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin on all charges following nearly two months of detention. “We are relieved…
CPJ shares statement from international legal counsel acting in case of US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin
On April 22, the international legal counsel acting for the sisters of U.S.-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin issued an urgent statement, saying they were “extremely concerned for Ahmed’s safety and wellbeing” in Kuwaiti detention, and demanding his release. The international legal team has filed urgent appeals with United Nations experts, and they are engaging with U.S.,…
CPJ submission to UN documents series of journalist jailings, secretive trials, torture claims in Tajikistan
New York, April 17, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists has submitted a report on the state of press freedom in Tajikistan to the United Nations Human Rights Council ahead of November’s 53rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session. The submission details a significant deterioration of media freedom — in what was already one of the world’s most restrictive environments…