The Torch is a weekly newsletter from the Committee to Protect Journalists that brings you the latest press freedom and journalist safety news from around the world. Subscribe here.
This week, journalists covering COVID-19 have been arrested in Venezuela and Niger, and assaulted by police in India. In Thailand, a state of emergency was declared on Thursday to contain the virus, which gives the government more control over the press.
Last week, Hamas-controlled security forces assaulted a journalist covering a COVID-19 protest, and authorities in Jordan, Oman, Morocco, and Yemen issued decrees suspending newspaper printing and distribution in response to coronavirus.
Follow CPJ’s news coverage of the virus’ impact on press freedom at cpj.org/covid19
Journalism in the time of coronavirus
- Amid coronavirus pandemic, Iran covers up crucial information and threatens journalists
- Expert Bill Marczak: What journalists should know about coronavirus cellphone tracking
- Egypt expels Guardian reporter Ruth Michaelson over COVID-19 coverage
- Q&A: Covering the coronavirus outbreak in the Orthodox Jewish community
- Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli tells CPJ that prisoners in the country are “facing death” amid COVID-19 outbreak
- CPJ joins call for transparency in Olympics and other sport events amid COVID-19
- South Africa enacts regulations criminalizing ‘disinformation’ on coronavirus outbreak
- Twitter announced a donation of $1 million to CPJ and the International Women’s Media Foundation
CPJ Emergencies’ Safety Advisory for journalists reporting on the COVID-19 crisis is now available in 19 languages.
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