Journalist Freedom

The International Federation of Journalists said Tuesday that 104 journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2024, with more than half of them perishing during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The group said that since the Oct. 7, 2023 start of the war, at least 138 had been killed, including 55 Palestinian media professionals in the calendar year. On top of the global fatalities, the IFJ said that the number of journalists in prison was also on the rise, with a sharp increase to 520, compared to 427 last year. "These sad figures show once again how fragile is press freedom and how risky and dangerous is the profession of journalism," said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger, adding the bad situation came at a critical time. The public's need for information is very real at a time when authoritarian regimes are developing all over the world, he said. When it came to imprisonments, the group said China and Hong Kong kept 135 journalists behind bars. Overall

The Delhi High Court has ordered removal of social media posts by Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Ragini Nayak alleging that veteran journalist Rajat Sharma used "abusive language" during his show on the Lok Sabha election result day. The court said an irreparable loss and injury would be caused to the plaintiff's reputation if the videos and posts on X were allowed to remain in the public domain. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna said it is prima facie evident from the footage of the TV debate played in the court that plaintiff Sharma had "barely intervened for a few seconds and no abusive language was used" against Nayak. The social media posts berating the journalist are an "over-sensationalisation", the court said. "It cannot be denied that the citizens have a right to freedom of speech and expression but there was also a corresponding duty to remain truthful to the incident. The X posts berating the plaintiff are nothing but an over-sensationalisation and depiction

Thousands of journalists have fled their home countries in recent years to escape political repression, save their lives and escape conflict but in exile they are often vulnerable to physical, digital and legal threats, a UN investigator said on Wednesday. Irene Khan said in a report to the UN General Assembly that the number of journalists in exile has increased as the space for independent and critical media has been shrinking in democratic countries where authoritarian trends are gaining ground. Today, she said, free, independent and diverse media supporting democracy and holding the powerful to account are either absent or severely constrained in over a third of the world's nations, where more than two-thirds of the global population lives. The UN independent investigator on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression said most journalists and some independent media outlets have left their countries so they can report and investigate freely ..

World Press Freedom Day 2024: Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and media personnel often face challenges in performing their duties. Here are the best quotes and wishes

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted bail to a television journalist, who was arrested on duty at the restive Sandeshkhali, observing that the press must be allowed to function freely and independently, without any fear of reprisal or intimidation. Santu Pan, who works for Republic Bangla news channel, was arrested on February 19 on the basis of a complaint by a woman alleging that he had trespassed into her house in Sandeshkhali. Justice Kausik Chanda also stayed all proceedings in connection with the case against him at Sandeshkhali police station in North 24 Parganas district till disposal of his petition seeking quashing of the FIR. The court noted that Sandeshkhali garnered public attention across the country over the assault of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials allegedly by aides of Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh on January 5. Sandeshkhali has witnessed prolonged protests by local women alleging sexual atrocities at gunpoint by certain local political .

Journalists at The New York Daily News and Forbes walked off the job on Thursday amid contentious contract talks with management and a difficult few weeks in the news industry. Both strike are historic: It's the first-ever at the business-focused magazine in more than a century, and the first at the storied newspaper in more than three decades, according to the NewsGuild of New York. The one-day strike at the Daily News coincides with Forbes walkout, which runs through Monday. In midtown Manhattan, dozens of Daily News staffers and their supporters picketed Thursday outside a small co-working space the newspaper's office since its lower Manhattan newsroom was shuttered in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. Founded in 1919, it was once the largest circulating newspaper in the country. Strikers marched around the building holding signs that read New York Needs Its Hometown Paper and Alden to News: Drop Dead, a reference to the tabloid's famous 1975 headline. They also put up a l

An estimated 320 journalists around the world were imprisoned because of their work toward the end of 2023, according to a report issued Thursday by the Committee to Protect Journalists, which called it a disturbing attempt to smother independent voices. That's the second-highest number of jailed journalists since the committee began its annual census in 1992. It's down from 367 in 2022, due primarily to the release of many in Iran, either on bail or as they await sentencing, the committee said. Our research shows how entrenched authoritarianism is globally, with governments emboldened to stamp out critical reporting and prevent public accountability, said Jodie Ginsberg, the committee's chief executive officer. More than a third of the journalists in jail according to the CPJ's Dec 1, 2023, census were in China, Myanmar and Belarus, the report said. Israel is tied with Iran for sixth place, the country's highest ranking ever on CPJ's annual list. Each of the 17 that were held in .

Following the incident, senior Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir said that journalism is becoming "very difficult" in Pakistan

Delhi Police Special Cell has questioned about 25 journalists and contributors of the NewsClick for a second time in connection with a UAPA case registered against the online news portal for allegedly peddling "anti-national" agenda in the country, sources said on Monday. An officer said that the investigation into the case is still on and no one has been given the clean chit so far. About 46 people, including nine women journalists, were questioned on October 3, the day the Special Cell raided several locations connected to the website in Delhi and NCR. "Since the arrest took place, everyone was called for the second round of questioning. About 25 of them have appeared so far," said a police officer. On October 3, the Delhi Police arrested portal's editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human relations head Amit Chakravarty and seized more than 300 electronic gadgets from the office of NewsClick and residences of its journalists. An official said these gadgets were sent to the FS

The Delhi Police Thursday questioned journalists Urmilesh and Abhisar Sharma for a second time this week in the NewClick foreign funding case, even as a court here directed the authorities to provide the copy of FIR to two persons arrested in the case under anti-terror law UAPA. This comes two days after NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty were arrested in connection with the alleged funding to the NewsClick from China to peddle fake narrative about the central government. Urmilesh and Sharma reached the Delhi Police Special Cell's office at Lodhi Colony and joined the investigation on Thursday afternoon, the officials said. A total of 46 journalists and contributor to the NewsClick were questioned on Tuesday and their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets were seized. Journalists' bodies On Thursday expressed concern about the raids, saying while the law must take its course, the government and its agencies should respect the freedom of the press

The Press Club of India on Saturday condemned the killing of a reporter of a Hindi daily in Araria town of Bihar. Vimal Kumar Yadav (35), who worked for a Hindi daily, was killed at his residence in Premnagar village on Friday. "The impunity with which such attacks on journalists are carried out is unacceptable and must be addressed effectively," the Press Club of India said in a statement here.

Misinformation is top of mind almost everywhere in the region, and journalists feel as if it's their cross to bear

Press Association condemned the alleged roughing up of a journalist by authorities during a press conference of the Delhi and Punjab chief ministers recently

'These guidelines have been introduced without any prior consultation with journalists' bodies, media organisations or any other relevant stakeholders'

Nearly 80 per cent of Afghan journalists changed their profession after the Taliban took control of the country.

The government on Wednesday informed Parliament that the Jammu and Kashmir government has not issued any order under which journalists can be stopped from reporting if their work threatens peace and public tranquility. Minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai stated this in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. "The government of UT of Jammu and Kashmir has informed that no such order has been issued," he stated. He was asked if the J&K administration has issued orders under which journalists can be stopped from reporting if their work threatens peace and public tranquility, and which directs unauthorised/unregistered journalists to complete their registration or obtain approval of the administration before they can be allowed to perform their duties.

Danny Fenster was freed after nearly six months in jail in Myanmar

The harsh penalty is the ruling military's latest rebuff of calls from around the world for a peaceful end to Myanmar's political crisis

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's Special Assistant on Information Shehbaz Gill announced that the ruling government would control all the current affairs programmes on TV news channels

Two journalists were arrested and three others detained on Wednesday for their alleged attempt to malign Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma