CPJ warns of rising journalist killings and attacks in Gaza and Israel, fighting for press freedom amid deadly conflicts worldwide.
Ethiopian authorities declined to renew Reuters' journalist accreditation, citing a report on a secret UAE-backed fighter training camp. The move follows restrictions on foreign media and raises concerns over press freedom ahead of the June elections. Reuters plans to continue coverage independently.
In 2025, a record 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide, with Israel responsible for over two-thirds of these deaths. Most victims were Palestinians in Gaza, with additional fatalities in Yemen, Sudan, and Mexico. The CPJ reports a concerning rise in targeted killings and impunity.
On March 28, 2026, an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed three journalists: Ali Shoeib of Hezbollah's Al Manar, Fatima Ftouni of Al Mayadeen, and her brother Mohammad Ftouni. Israel claimed Shoeib was a Hezbollah intelligence operative, a charge denied by Hezbollah. Lebanese officials condemned the attack as a war crime. The strike occurred during intensified Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon.
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, a Kuwaiti-American journalist detained in Kuwait since March 3, 2026, has been acquitted of charges including spreading false information and harming national security. He has safely left Kuwait after 52 days in detention. His arrest highlighted increased media restrictions in Gulf states during the US-Israel war on Iran, with rights groups condemning the charges as vague and used to silence independent journalism.