The Torch

Today, the leaders of more than 30 news organizations worldwide signed an open letter—coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) with the support of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)—affirming their solidarity with journalists reporting in Gaza. “For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza—overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting…

After the sudden death of opposition leader Alexey Navalny in a Russian prison on February 16, Moscow has escalated its crackdown on press freedom. ➡️ This week, Russia banned freedom of expression group Article 19 and news organization Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) as “undesirable,” a designation banning them from operating in Russia, and anyone…

In a new report published today, CPJ documented 99 journalists and media workers killed worldwide in 2023. This 2023 global total is the highest since 2015 and an almost 44% increase from 2022. Documenting 2023 deaths was especially challenging due to lack of official information and the high number of killings in such a short…

Only one month into a record election year, CPJ has already begun recording election-related attacks against the press—attempts by governments to stifle critical voices and restrict the free flow of information that is essential for voters. Just this week authorities in Senegal suspended mobile internet access, revoked the broadcasting license of Walf TV, and detained…

CPJ is closely monitoring what is becoming an epidemic of arrests and legal threats against journalists in Iran. In the last two months, we have documented over a dozen jailings, sentencings, lawsuits, and raids on journalists’ homes in the country. These arrests show that “Iranian authorities are desperate to silence their critics,” said CPJ Middle…

When journalists can’t protect themselves or their sources, everyone’s right to information is at risk. Ahead of Data Privacy Day on Sunday, we’re highlighting the ever-present threat of surveillance that journalists face today. ➡️ Just this week, CPJ called again for an immediate moratorium on the sale of spyware technology after the phones of two…

Israel has emerged as one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists following the October 7 start of the Israel-Gaza war, CPJ’s 2023 prison census has found. Israel ranked sixth—tied with Iran—behind China, Myanmar, Belarus, Russia, and Vietnam, respectively. Overall, CPJ documented 320 journalists behind bars for their work as of the census date December…

This week, CPJ repeats our call: The continuous killings of journalists and their family members by Israeli army fire must end: journalists are civilians, not targets. On Sunday, an Israeli drone strike killed Al-Jazeera journalist Hamza Al Dahdouh—who was the son of Al-Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Al Dahdouh and the fifth member of his…

This year, billions of voters will make their way to the polls for a record election year in a world fraught with polarization and mis- and disinformation. We rely on journalists to unearth the facts that help us make decisions about our leaders, and journalists are facing increasing challenges to doing this vital work. In…

As we approach the end of a truly volatile year, CPJ has documented physical attacks, imprisonment, and legal harassment against the press accelerate relentlessly in frequency and severity, and we have seen more journalists than ever fleeing into exile. Journalists face increasingly hostile environments in conflict zones, as more journalists have been killed in the…