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…
CPJ, partners ask Turkey and social media platforms to halt online crackdown on journalists and rights defenders
The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday joined 20 local and international partner organizations in a joint statement asking Turkey and social media platforms to stop censoring journalists and rights defenders online by blocking their accounts, and respect the right to free expression. The Freedom of Expression Association (İFÖD) found that in September alone, Turkish…
Thai court to hear criminal defamation charges against investigative reporter Tom Wright
Bangkok, October 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Thai politician and financier Vorapak Tanyawong to drop his criminal defamation suit against investigative reporter Tom Wright, following a Thai court’s decision to hear two separate complaints. Wright, the Singapore-based co-founder of the corruption-focused Whale Hunting newsletter, told CPJ that the two charges focus on…
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…
Lebanese journalist Christina Assi calls on EU leaders to hold Israel accountable for crimes against journalists
In a letter sent on Thursday, Lebanese journalist Christina Assi is calling on EU leaders and officials to hold Israel to account for crimes against journalists in Lebanon and Gaza as part of the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council and European Council. Christina Assi was gravely wounded on October 13, 2023, in a targeted Israeli strike…
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…
Cuban content creator sentenced to 2 years of ‘restricted freedom’ for filming agent
Miami, October 3, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Havana court’s Thursday sentencing of influencer and content creator Anna Sofía Benítez, 21, and her mother, Caridad Silvente, to two years of “restricted freedom” after they were found guilty of supposedly violating a Ministry of the Interior (MININT) agent’s privacy. Outlets reported that the agent was upset…
CPJ joins legal effort to restore White House press access
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) joined an amicus brief authored by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) in support of a lawsuit filed by CNN, MS NOW, and Politico against the Trump administration for banning the outlets’ access to the White House beginning September 19. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order…