UPDATE: Colombian journalist killed following capture by rebels
Bogotá, May 8, 2026—Colombian authorities must thoroughly investigate the killing of journalist Mateo Pérez Rueda, determine if he was targeted for his work, and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Pérez was last seen at around 4 p.m. on May 5 near the town of Briceño in Antioquia department in northwest Colombia…
Tunisia court sentences journalist Zied el-Heni to 1 year in prison
New York, May 8, 2026 – Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Zied el-Heni and stop prosecuting journalists under repressive laws for their reporting and commentary, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday after a Tunis court sentenced him to one year in prison. On May 7, authorities convicted El-Heni, founder of the…
Daughter of murdered Serbian journalist Slavko Ćuruvija on her 27-year fight for justice
On April 11, 1999, Slavko Ćuruvija, the owner of Serbia’s first private daily newspaper, Dnevni Telegraf, was assassinated outside his home in the capital, Belgrade. After a decades-long pursuit of accountability, the case reached a turning point in February 2024 when the Belgrade Court of Appeal issued a final, non-appealable acquittal for four former Slobodan Milošević-era state…
Rwandan YouTuber dies of alleged overdose on day of release from prison
Nairobi, May 8, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for an independent and credible investigation into the death of Rwandan YouTube commentator Aimable Karasira Uzaramba on Wednesday, the day of his scheduled release from prison at the end of his five-year sentence. In a statement, the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) said that 48-year-old Karasira died…
CPJ, partners urge Maldives president to end legal action against Adhadhu News
The Committee to Protect Journalists and six other press freedom and human rights organizations have written to Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, urging his government to cease using the criminal justice system against independent news outlet Adhadhu News. On April 27, police from the Serious and Organized Crime Department raided Adhadhu’s office in Malé, seizing journalists’…
CPJ and IAPA urge Mexican authorities to strengthen judicial response to crimes against the press
MEXICO CITY May 7, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) joined the Inter American Press Association (SIP-IAPA) in a series of meetings with Mexico’s judicial leadership on Wednesday to address systemic impunity and the ongoing crisis of violence against the press. The delegation, which included CPJ Américas Director José Zamora and prominent regional editors, met…
4 years on, FBI investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh’s murder stalled
New York, May 7, 2026—Four years after the Israeli military’s killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the reported investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into her murder appears to have stalled. It remains unclear whether any eyewitnesses in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories have been formally interviewed, and the FBI —…
CPJ shares statement from Shireen Abu Akleh’s family 4 years after journalist’s murder
To mark the upcoming fourth anniversary of the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, on May 11, 2026, the Abu Akleh family issued a public statement affirming that they “will not stop” pursuing “justice for Shireen through all available avenues.” Abu Akleh was murdered while covering an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation in the…
How the Trump administration is using immigration authorities to restrict speech
During President Donald Trump’s second term, immigration authorities under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have increasingly used their powers to curb independent and critical reporting. Here are four things you need to know about how immigration agencies have participated in restricting press freedom in the United States: See CPJ’s first-ever travel advisory for journalists entering and…
Sudan’s RSF paramilitary group detains journalist Adam Issac Minan
New York, May 7, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan to immediately release journalist Adam Issac Minan, who was kidnapped by the paramilitary group on April 5, 2026, in the city of Kutum in North Darfur state, according to two local journalists, who spoke with CPJ on…