Journalists

As the curtain fell on December 2024, a somber report from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) emerged, shedding light on a troubling truth: over 360 media professionals were locked away behind bars. This staggering figure serves as a stark reminder of the lengths to which some governments will go to stifle free expression, with China and Israel leading the charge in the crackdown on journalism. In its latest census, the CPJ revealed that on December 1, 2024, the tally of imprisoned journalists had hit 361—a grim…

In the ever-evolving story of North Western State of Somalia, a fresh commitment has surfaced: safeguarding the realm of free speech. Amid the bustling capital, Mogadishu, chatter swirls as the government vows to shield journalists and citizens alike from unjust confinement over dissident facts or views.President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro recently, in a heartfelt address to civil society and the press, rekindled his campaign promise to uphold democratic tenets. "Freedom of expression is vital to our governance,"…

Facebook Crackdown in Somalia Draws Heat Amid Political Friction MOGADISHU, Somalia — In an eyebrow-raising move, Somalia's political air gets thicker as Facebook suspends accounts of local political mavens and vocal scribes who've been blowing raspberries at the Federal Government. This social media surge coincides with simmering political strains in the country. Word on the street, delivered by Axadle, points to a curious exemption: supporters of the Federal Government, including those yapping for Villa Somalia, didn't…

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that a recent airstrike in southern Lebanon, which claimed the lives of three journalists, is currently under examination. The military asserts that its operation aimed at eradicating Hezbollah combatants. "In the early hours, based on intelligence, our forces targeted a Hezbollah military installation in the Hasbaya region," the IDF shared in a communiqué to AFP. "The operation took place while the militants were present inside the facility," the statement elaborated. "Only…

As tensions escalate in Lebanon, the Irish peacekeepers find themselves ensnared between two opposing factions. While clashes erupt on the ground, an intense battle for narrative and public sentiment unfolds online, compounded by widespread anxieties regarding the reliability of information circulating in the digital realm. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has raised alarms about the proliferation of false narratives, emphasizing the tangible repercussions such misinformation can impose on peacekeeping…

In a troubling turn of events, two Belgian reporters found themselves injured in Lebanon amidst ongoing military exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah. Their employer, VTM, confirmed the incident as violence erupted in Beirut due to airstrikes during the night. The VTM correspondent, Robin Ramaekers, sustained facial injuries, while his colleague, cameraman Stijn De Smet, required medical attention for a gunshot wound to his leg, as outlined in a statement from DPG Media, the broadcast network’s parent company. “Just…

September Marks Numerous Unresolved Journalist Killings Ahmed Mohamed Shakur, an SNTV journalist and cameraman, lost his life in a bomb explosion on September 30, 2022, in Basra town near Mogadishu. | PHOTO/ Courtesy/SJS. The International Press Institute (IPI) persistently demands Somali authorities step up against impunity for crimes against journalists. The state of press freedom in Somalia is distressingly precarious, with scribes being subjects of both harassment and threats from the government and the militant group…

RFI's FM waves have been cut across Mali since mid-Thursday. Consequence of the decision of the Malian Transitional Authorities to suspend RFI and France 24, following the sending of testimonies reporting abuses by the Malian army in the center of the country.…

No press conference has been organized for journalists from private media to cover the negotiations between rebel groups and the Chadian authorities, which have been going on since Sunday, March 13, in Doha, Qatar. Necessary travel, according to press…

Moroccan journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi was sentenced on appeal to six years in prison for espionage and rape. Radi, a 35-year-old freelance journalist known as a vocal critic of the…