Committee to Protect Journalists weekly newsletter

View this email in your browser Thursday, October 8, 2026 Lebanese journalist Christina Assi calls on EU leaders to hold Israel accountable for crimes against journalists A journalist’s car burns at the site where Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah was killed and six others were injured in an Israeli tank attack in southern Lebanon on October 13, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudan) On October 13, 2023, the Israeli military fired two tank shells 37 seconds apart into south Lebanon. The military’s target? Seven journalists standing on a hilltop around a mile from the closest hostilities, wearing clearly marked “press” vests and reporting next to a car marked “TV.” The Israeli attack killed Reuters’ Issam Abdallah, a veteran video journalist with extensive experience covering conflict. Lebanese photojournalist and CPJ's 2026 International Press Freedom Awardee Christina Assi sustained injuries, resulting in the amputation of her right leg. In a letter sent on Thursday, Assi called on EU leaders and officials to hold Israel to account for crimes against journalists in Lebanon and Gaza. "I am writing to implore you to continue calling for Israel to be held accountable for crimes against journalists in Lebanon and Gaza. As European leaders and ministers come together next week, these meetings coincide at a hard time,” said Assi. ➡️ Read the letter. Criminal defamation threat hangs over dozens of Angolan journalists ahead of 2027 vote Nineteen of the 38 Angolan journalists interviewed by CPJ who have been investigated for defamation since 2015. (Graphic: CPJ) CPJ interviewed 38 Angolan journalists who, in total, have faced more than 200 criminal investigations for defamation, which makes Angola one of Africa’s worst offenders in criminalizing journalism in this way. "This is a tool used by those in power or in high-level positions to ensure that their names remain untouchable," Teixeira Cândido, a journalist, lawyer, and former president of the Angolan Journalists Syndicate, told CPJ. "[It] can be used whenever it's convenient for the authorities to call journalists in and intimidate and harass them." ➡️ Read more. CPJ joins the 2026 Democracy Summit CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg (far right) moderates a panel with (left to right) Nikole Hannah-Jones, Center for Journalism & Democracy founder; Mary McCord, executive director, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown Law; and Georgia Fort, journalist and president of the Center for Broadcast Journalism. (Photo: CPJ/Laura Strawmyer) CPJ staff joined the 2026 Democracy Summit on October 6 at Howard University, hosted by the Center for Journalism & Democracy, which brought together more than 200 journalists, newsroom executives, legal scholars, and democracy advocates ahead of U.S. midterm elections. CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg moderated the first panel, “Press Attacks Amid an Eroding Democracy: Why We Must Defend Journalism,” examining the escalating threats facing journalists and exploring strategies to strengthen press freedom. CPJ’s Europe Program Coordinator Attila Mong and Latin America Program Coordinator Cristina Zahar also spoke on the panel, “Lessons From Abroad: Fighting Back Against Attacks on Democracy.” 📺 Watch the summit here. What we are reading Curated by CPJ’s global team of researchers, reporters, advocates and safety experts — here’s what we’ve been reading and reflecting on this week. Remembrance — Aseel Mousa and Azmat Khan, Columbia Journalism Review Morocco: Whistleblower reveals how authorities used a web of surveillance to silence journalists and activists — Amnesty International As Serbia heads to the polls, independent media faces the fiercest pressure in decades — Marina Adami, Reuters Institute The newsrooms winning the world’s trust are now African — Felix Imoh, The Media Online Explore our database of attacks on the press. Share Tweet Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get The Torch newslett