Ensuring journalists’ safety and tackling impunity for crimes against the press (Side event of the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva) November 2022 marked the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity (UNPA), a framework for states to address attacks and threats against journalists and to improve the overall environment for press […] Read more »
Murdered, surveilled and sued: decisive action needed to protect journalists and salvage press freedom in Greece September 27, 2023 Greek journalism is under sustained threat from the impact of the surveillance scandal “Predatorgate”, the unresolved killing of a reporter, abusive legal action and economic and political pressures. Following a mission to Athens, IPI today joins seven international organisations in calling on the Government and Prime Minister to show political courage and urgently take specific […] Read more »
Somalia: IPI reiterates its call for the release of journalist Mohamed Bulbul September 22, 2023 The IPI global network condemns the arbitrary detention of journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Osman Bulbul in Somalia and reiterates its call on the authorities to refrain from targeting journalists for carrying out their work. On August 17, plain-clothed state security officials arrested and detained Bulbul while he was attending a university class, in Mogadishu, the capital […] Read more »
The Outlook: Setting newsroom goals everyone can get behind September 21, 2023 IPI Media Innovation and Sustainability This text comes from IPI’s newsletter The Outlook. Click here to sign up to receive future editions direct to your inbox. In this week’s edition of The Outlook, IPI’s media innovation newsletter, we’re talking goal-setting and strategy for your media business. The challenge: how to align your team and organization around a goal Many news organizations […] Read more »
France: IPI condemns arrest of investigative journalist Ariane Lavrilleux September 20, 2023 The International Press Institute (IPI) today condemns the arrest and interrogation of French journalist Ariane Lavrilleux and demands her immediate release from custody. IPI further calls on French law enforcement authorities to ensure full respect for international media freedom standards on source protection. Lavrilleux, a journalist with French non-profit investigative platform Disclose was taken into […] Read more »
Polish media grapple with unprecedented challenges and uncertain future as the country faces electoral crossroads September 15, 2023 At the conclusion of their press freedom mission to Warsaw from 11-13 September, partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) declared that the media and journalists in Poland are facing unprecedented challenges including legal threats, financial precarity, political pressure, regulatory capture and growing polarisation. The delegation, comprised of representatives of ARTICLE 19 Europe, […] Read more »
Cyberattack on IPI: Evidence points to retaliation for press freedom work in Hungary September 14, 2023 Since September 1, the International Press Institute (IPI) has been battling a targeted and sustained cyberattack. This attack appears to be in retaliation for our advocacy work on behalf of independent media in Hungary, who have faced a wave of similar attacks since this summer. The attack on IPI began with a series of distributed […] Read more »
Ukraine: IPI joins 23 organizations calling for an end to Russian war crimes in Ukraine September 8, 2023 We, the undersigned journalists, press freedom organizations, and unions, write this statement to denounce the war crimes committed by the Russian Federation against journalists in Ukraine and to call for immediate action to hold the perpetrators accountable. Deliberately targeting journalists, shelling their facilities, and engaging in arbitrary detentions and torture clearly violate international humanitarian law […] Read more »
Two years after Taliban return to power, international community must continue to support Afghanistan’s independent media September 1, 2023 IPI Press Freedom Legal Researcher Lena Dal Santo The IPI global network calls on the international community to renew its commitment to press freedom in Afghanistan. Two years since the withdrawal of US-led forces and the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban, the state of press freedom in Afghanistan is in crisis. The international community must act with urgency to support and protect […] Read more »
Haiti: “A lawless state” leads to chronic impunity for killings, kidnappings and other attacks on journalists September 1, 2023 Sanni Laine, Helsingin Sanomat Foundation Journalism Fellow at IPI Amid spiraling violence against the press, Haiti is in desperate need of support and solutions to restore law and security, end impunity, and establish safe working conditions for journalists whose work is essential in rebuilding democracy. The broader instability that has been plaguing Haiti since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 is mirrored […] Read more »
Court in Moscow set to fine Karen Shainyan on “foreign agent” status On 30 August 2023, a court in Moscow received a case against journalist Karen Shainyan, who was accused of violating Russian legislation on “foreign agents”, a status he was handed in April 2022. An initial trial in Shainyan’s case was scheduled for September 25. According to Russian media, the journalist is accused of not marking […] Read more »
Kyrgyzstan: IPI condemns attempt to shutter Kloop Media August 28, 2023 The IPI global network firmly condemns the Bishkek city prosecutor’s attempt to force the closure of Kloop, a major Kyrgyz independent media outlet and IPI member. In a request made to a local court, the Bishkek prosecutor claimed that Kloop’s reporting is “negative in character, aimed at discrediting representatives of state and local authorities”. The […] Read more »
IPI publishes new toolkit on press freedom frameworks in Zimbabwe August 24, 2023 Press freedom in Zimbabwe continues to face numerous challenges. IPI’s monitoring of press freedom in the country has shown that journalists experience unlawful arrests and detention, online threats and harassment, and restrictions to access information. Recorded incidents have been reported in IPI’s monthly monitoring factsheets (see, for example, the November 2022 factsheet, the December 2022 […] Read more » TaggedAfrica press freedom zimbabwe
Resource Toolkit: Press Freedom in Zimbabwe – National, Regional and Global Frameworks Press freedom in Zimbabwe continues to face numerous challenges. IPI’s monitoring of press freedom in the country has shown that journalists experience unlawful arrests and detention, online threats and harassment, and restrictions to access information. Recorded incidents have been reported in IPI’s monthly monitoring factsheets (see, for example, the November 2022 factsheet, the December 2022 […] Read more »
IPI launches resource toolkit ‘Foundations of Press Freedom in Africa’ August 24, 2023 The IPI global network has published the new resource toolkit “The Foundations of Press Freedom in Africa”. The toolkit is a compilation of key international, regional, and subregional frameworks for the protection of media freedom, the right to access information and the safety of journalists in Africa. This toolkit complements IPI’s press freedom monitoring and […] Read more » TaggedAfrica press freedom
Resource Toolkit: Foundations of Press Freedom in Africa The IPI global network has published the new resource toolkit “The Foundations of Press Freedom in Africa”. The toolkit is a compilation of key international, regional, and subregional frameworks for the protection of media freedom, the right to access information and the safety of journalists in Africa. This toolkit complements IPI’s press freedom monitoring and […] Read more »
Bangladesh: IPI welcomes repeal and replacement of Digital Security Act August 18, 2023 IPI Press Freedom Legal Researcher Lena Dal Santo The IPI global network welcomes the recent decision by the Bangladeshi government to repeal and replace the Digital Security Act, which has been repeatedly abused for years to harass and intimidate journalists. However, authorities must now consult with local civil society and human rights experts to ensure the proposed replacement, the Cyber Security Act, is […] Read more »
IPI Monitoring: Press freedom threats in DRC, Kenya, and Uganda August 10, 2023 In July 2023, the IPI global network’s monitoring of press freedom violations in sub-Saharan Africa recorded 80 incidents in 17 countries. During the month under review, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recorded the highest number of incidents, followed by Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, which recorded 8 incidents each, and Gabon, with five incidents. […] Read more » TaggedAfrica monitoring
Niger: Authorities must respect press freedom August 9, 2023 Following last month’s military coup, the IPI global network today calls on the authorities in Niger to respect press freedom and the public’s right to access independent sources of news and information. IPI has been closely following developments in Niger following the military coup d’état on July 26, 2023. The coup has already had a […] Read more »
Turkey: International groups condemn fifth imprisonment order against journalist Barış Pehlivan August 9, 2023 The undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression, human rights, and journalists’ organisations strongly condemn the latest incident of judicial harassment against journalist Barış Pehlivan and reiterate calls to the Turkish authorities to respect media freedom. On August 2, journalist Barış Pehlivan was informed via an SMS from the Ministry of Justice that he was expected […] Read more »
Afghanistan: Hamisha Bahar network closed by Taliban for including women in journalism training August 8, 2023 IPI Contributor Katherine Dailey The IPI global network strongly condemns the closure of independent broadcaster Hamisha Bahar by the Taliban after authorities raided the outlet during a journalism training that included women journalists. The outlet was shuttered the following day for violating the Taliban’s higher education ban for women. On July 31, a group of Taliban officers raided the […] Read more »
IPI joins global civil society coalition condemning internet shutdowns in Senegal August 3, 2023 The IPI global network today joined 57 organizations across the globe as part of the #KeepItOn coalition in calling on the Senegalese government to end its use of internet shutdowns and blocking as a tool to censor and control information. This joint statement comes in reaction to the government’s shutdown of mobile internet on July […] Read more »
IPI Monitoring: Journalists in Uganda, Sudan, DRC, and Senegal face attacks, arrests, violence August 2, 2023 IPI Africa’s monitoring of press freedom threats and violations in June recorded at least 40 incidents in 15 countries across the continent, with the highest number of incidents in Uganda, Sudan, Senegal, and DRC. These attacks have been perpetrated by security and law enforcement officers, representatives and supporters of political parties, and members of the […] Read more »
IJ4EU Interview: ‘Migration management is a massive euphemism’ July 28, 2023 Few dispute that migration needs governing. But what happens when a little-known organisation working far from the glare of public scrutiny takes things too far? The Vienna-based International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) has operated since the early 1990s along the geographical fringes of the European Union. Its remit is “migration management”, which may […] Read more » Taggedij4eu
South African journalist barred from covering Russia- Africa Summit July 27, 2023 The IPI global network condemns the recent decision by Russian authorities to revoke accreditation for Daily Maverick journalist Peter Fabricius for the Russia-Africa summit taking place this week in St. Petersburg. The Summit’s Organising Committee did not provide reasons for the revocation nor did they afford the journalist an avenue to appeal the decision. Fabricius […] Read more »
Turkey: International and local groups condemn detention of journalists in Ankara, Diyarbakır, İstanbul and İzmir July 26, 2023 The undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression and human rights organizations strongly condemn the detention of T24 editor Sibel Yükler, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Delal Akyüz and Fırat Can Arslan, bianeteditor Evrim Kepenek and freelance journalist Evrim Deniz in Turkey on July 25. While four of these journalists were conditionally released, Arslan was arrested later […] Read more »
Russia must stop designating media as ‘undesirable’ July 26, 2023 Russia must stop its practice of designating media companies as ‘undesirable’, the International Press Institute (IPI) said. IPI made the call following Russia’s latest such designation, which targeted independent television broadcaster TV Rain. The broadcaster was forced to leave Russia last year and now operates out of the EU. The designation has previously been used […] Read more »
United States: Reauthorization of Section 702 surveillance law will imperil the work of journalists July 25, 2023 IPI Contributor Rowan Humphries As U.S. lawmakers debate the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire at the end of this year, the IPI global network expresses profound concerns about the statute’s risks for journalists, and calls on Congress to enact serious reforms to Section 702 that address those risks […] Read more »
Oleg Deripaska demands removal of video mentioning his reported PMCs On 24 July 2023, a court in Moscow published information on a defamation lawsuit filed by Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who demanded that Russian journalist Elizaveta Osetinskaya fully remove a recent Youtube video interview with human rights defender Olga Romanova. In the interview, Romanova claimed that Deripaska owned two private military companies, similar to Wagner, […] Read more »
Myanmar: Junta threatens legal action against independent media over broadcasting fees July 20, 2023 IPI Contributor Katherine Dailey The IPI global network condemns plans by Myanmar’s military junta to sue two independent media outlets, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and Mizzima, for broadcasting fees incurred prior to the military coup in February 2021. Since the junta took power, independent media has faced an extreme crackdown, including the jailing of journalists and closure of […] Read more »
Seven years into new era, Uzbekistan’s independent media fight for survival July 18, 2023 On July 9, Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most populous nation, re-elected its president, in an atmosphere which local independent journalists describe as extremely constraining for their profession, limiting options for real political pluralism in Uzbekistan. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was officially declared the winner of the race, receiving 87 percent of the vote, in an election described […] Read more »
Seven years into new era, Uzbekistan’s independent media fight for survival July 18, 2023 On July 9, Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most populous nation, re-elected its president, in an atmosphere which local independent journalists describe as extremely constraining for their profession, limiting options for real political pluralism in Uzbekistan. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was officially declared the winner of the race, receiving 87 percent of the vote, in an election described […] Read more »
Uganda: More than a dozen journalists assaulted in recent months July 17, 2023 The IPI global network is alarmed by growing attacks on journalists in Uganda this year and calls on Ugandan authorities to take appropriate measures to safeguard press freedom and protect the safety of journalists. Journalists must be able to operate freely and report on matters of public interest without fear of retaliation or interference by […] Read more »
