Committee to Protect Journalists editorial newsletter

View this email in your browser Thursday, October 1, 2026 Meet 11 journalists whose freedom we’re celebrating Andrei Aliaksandrau steps out of a van after his release from prison and arrival in Vilnius, Lithuania, September 16, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Janis Laizans) CPJ is celebrating the release of imprisoned journalists around the world over the past month. Through our advocacy, we have fought tirelessly for their freedom, for justice, and for the right of all journalists to do their work without fear of imprisonment. For the fifth year in a row, more than 300 journalists were imprisoned worldwide as of the end of 2025. Amid a challenging climate of growing authoritarianism and escalating numbers of armed conflicts worldwide, each release is a powerful reminder of why this work matters. Here are 11 journalists whose freedom we’re celebrating👇 ⚪️ Hamid Farhadi Detained: September 3, 2024 Freed: August 13 Farhadi, a reporter for the U.S.-based Afghan news outlet KabulNow, was sentenced to two years in prison in a Taliban court. He was tried for spreading “propaganda” against Taliban authorities, without access to a defense lawyer. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have carried out an unprecedented crackdown on Afghan media. ⚪️ Ishraqah Abdulrahman, Zahraa Muhammad al-Hassan, and Mawahib Ibrahim Detained: February 28 Freed: September 6 The journalists were released by the Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces following a statement by CPJ and partners expressing alarm over reports that the journalists’ health has deteriorated. CPJ continues to push for the immediate release of all journalists detained by the RSF in connection with their work. ⚪️ Ataf Mohamed Mokhtar Detained: September 8 Freed: September 15 Egyptian authorities arrested the prominent Sudanese journalist Ataf from his home in Cairo. Egypt is one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists. Al-Sadiq Al-Rizaigi, the head of the General Union of Sudanese Journalists, said the arrest relates to Ataf’s journalistic work and the views he has expressed on issues concerning Sudan and the country’s war. ⚪️ Andrei Aliaksandrau, Dzmitry Navazhylau, and Kyril Pazniak Detained: Aliaksandrau and Navazhylau in 2021, Pazniak in September 2025 Freed: September 16 The three journalists were among 25 prisoners freed on September 16 by Belarus, following months of U.S. diplomatic efforts. Eighteen journalists still remain in prison in Belarus, and CPJ calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release them. ⚪️ Micah Reddy Detained: September 19 Freed: September 22 Reddy, a South African investigative journalist, was released after spending four days in secretive intelligence custody in Djibouti. His colleague and local fixer, Kooki Mahmoud, was also arrested and released without charge. Serious questions remain about their detention and Djibouti’s opaque accreditation process. ⚪️ Luis Galeano Detained: September 14 Freed: September 26 Galeano, director of the Spanish-language outlet Café con Voz, was detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while working as a rideshare driver. He fled Nicaragua in 2018, and in 2023 the Ortega-Murillo government stripped nearly 100 journalists of their citizenship, accusing them of being “traitors to the homeland.” Galeano’s case reflects a broader pattern of U.S. immigration enforcement being used to target journalists, particularly those reporting for immigrant and underserved communities. ⚪️ Naqaa Hamed Detained: September 15 Freed: September 28 Palestinian-American journalist Hamed was arrested at a temporary Israeli army checkpoint in the village of Tuqu, near Bethlehem, as she returned from a reporting assignment. The systemic harassment and intimidation targeting her and other journalist’s work in the occupied West Bank must end. Northern Ireland: 25 years after journalist Martin O’Hagan was murdered, CPJ and Amnesty call for new invest