Middle East & North Africa

New York, July 2, 2025—The dead have been buried and most journalists detained during Iran’s 12-day war with Israel have been freed, but the media are still reeling, as authorities crack down on critical voices and disrupt internet access. The state news agency has announced a “season of traitor-killing,” with hundreds of people arrested and…

New York, July 2, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of Tunisian media commentator Sonia Dahmani, who was sentenced on June 30 to an additional two years in prison on charges of spreading false news, after condemning racism in the country, an act she is already serving jail time for.  Dahmani’s lawyers withdrew from Monday’s trial to protest that…

New York, July 1, 2025—Algerian authorities must immediately release freelance French sports journalist Christophe Gleizes, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. An Algiers court sentenced him on June 29 to seven years in prison on charges of “glorifying terrorism” and “possessing propaganda publications harmful to the national interest.” Gleizes was arrested on May 28, 2024, in the town of…

Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, July 1, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns an Israeli airstrike on Al-Baqa Café, a beachfront venue in western Gaza City, which killed 34-year-old Palestinian filmmaker and photojournalist Ismail Abu Hatab and injured freelance journalist Bayan Abusultan on Monday, according to multiple news reports and an eyewitness photographer, who spoke with CPJ. “Palestinian filmmaker Ismail Abu Hatab’s death in an Israeli…

Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, June 30, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Syrian authorities to disclose the reason for the detention of Kurdish journalist Hassan Zaza, who was taken from his home by security forces to an unknown location early on Friday. “The secret detention of journalist Hassan Zaza, without any explanation from Syrian officials, reflects…

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Bahrain’s Shura Council to reject the government’s proposed amendments to the Law on Press, Printing, and Publishing (Decree-Law No. 47 of 2002) in a joint statement led by CPJ, Access Now, and seven other press freedom and human rights groups.  The statement warned that the Bahraini government’s…

In a joint statement, led by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 25 press freedom and human rights organizations called on the Egyptian government to end its transnational repression campaign against exiled journalists, including investigative reporter Basma Mostafa, who currently lives in Germany. The statement also urged German authorities to ensure her safety and uphold international…

New York, June 23, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply alarmed by Israeli authorities’ orders that international media obtain prior approval from the military censor before broadcasting news from combat zones or missile impact areas in the country.  Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced Friday that broadcasting from those locations…

CPJ wrote an open letter on Wednesday, June 18, urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas to propose a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. On May 20, the European Union committed to reviewing the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which sets out the EU’s…

Paris, June 17, 2025—Iran’s conflict with Israel has intensified media censorship in the Islamic Republic, with Iranian journalists warned not to comment online and a task force set up to prosecute those sharing “fake” news, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday, calling for press freedom to be respected. Two Iranian journalists, who spoke to…