Press freedom

Turkey protest

Turkey’s Sozcu TV forced off air in latest crackdown on opposition: What to know

As Istanbul's mayor remains jailed, pressure mounts on opposition-aligned media to soften their criticism, analysts say.

Islamist protesters clash with Turkish anti-riot police officers as they gather to protests LeMan cartoon magazine in Istanbul on June 30, 2025.

Turkey jails satirical magazine staff over alleged Prophet Muhammad cartoon

Four staff members of the satirical weekly LeMan were arrested and charged with “publicly insulting religious values” amid protests against the image and government crackdown on the magazine’s social media accounts.

Protesters hold placards as they demonstrate against cartoonists of a satirical magazine following allegations that it had published a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed, outside Taksim mosque in Istanbul on July 1, 2025.

Turkey's Erdogan vows justice amid rage over alleged Prophet Muhammad cartoon

A controversial cartoon has sparked mass protests, arrests and threats against a leading Turkish satire magazine.

graves

Feature

Families of Kurdish journalists slain in suspected Turkish drone strike in Syria want their remains

Ankara’s refusal to repatriate the journalists' remains underscores the political stakes of acknowledging the drone strike.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Turkey convicts Swedish journalist of insulting Erdogan with terror trial next

Medin

Algeria-France crisis peaks as Algiers expels 12 diplomats: What we know

Attendees fly a French national flag and an Algerian national flag during a gathering for the election night following the second round results of France's legislative election at Republique Square in Paris on July 7, 2024. A broad left-wing coalition was leading a tight French legislative election, ahead of both President's centrists and the far right with no group winning an absolute majority, projections showed. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey detains 2 prominent journalists amid growing crackdown

Supporters light up the night with cellphones during a protest rally in support of the arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul, Turkey, April 9, 2025.

Al Jazeera journalist Hossam Shabat killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza: What to know

Hossam Shabat

An undated image of Suat Toktas.

Turkey arrests journalist as clampdown on dissent tightens

The arrest of journalist Suat Toktas comes amid increasing pressure on dissidents from various backgrounds over the past weeks.

Cecilia Sala

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala lands in Rome after release from Iranian prison

After more than three weeks of detention, Cecilia Sala has been released from Tehran's Evin Prison and was met at the airport in Rome by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Trump and Meloni

After meeting Italy’s Meloni, Trump agrees to halt extradition of Iranian detainee: What we know

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President-elect Donald Trump have reportedly agreed to delay a US extradition request for an Iranian citizen to allow Italy to negotiate the return of its journalist Cecilia Sala, currently detained in Iran.

Alessio Romenzi, Sergio Splendore and Cecilia Sala are seen on stage during the “Gli orrori della guerra: storie dal fronte” event as part of the Terni Influencer & Creator Festival 2024, on April 13, 2024, in Terni, Italy.

Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala: What to know

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was arrested on Dec. 19, just six days after arriving in Tehran where she had conducted a series of interviews for her podcast series.

Turkish Jandarma soldiers guard the entrance to the Silivri Courthouse while awaiting the court's decision during the ongoing trial of journalists from the Cumhuriyet newspaper.

Turkey postpones debate on controversial ‘foreign agent’ law amid public outcry

The move follows criticism from the opposition and civil society over potential threats to free speech and media independence.

Turkish members of parliament attend a session at the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, in Ankara, on Dec. 11, 2023.

Turkey’s proposed ‘foreign agent’ law threatens press freedom, critics say

The bill is seen as a major blow to the already weak independent civil society organizations in Turkey.

Palestinian security forces close off the entrance of a building housing the offices of Saudi broadcasters MBC, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Hadath in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on October 21, 2024, during a protest calling for their closure against the backdrop of their descriptions of Hamas leadership which the protesters reject. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP) (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images)

What's behind Algeria's suspension of Saudi-owned Al Arabiya?

Algeria suspended the press license of Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya news channel just one day after Iraq suspended the license of Saudi-owned TV channel MBC.

Pictures of slain al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh hang on the facade of the building housing the television station's office in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, after Israel issued a 45-day closure order on September 22, 2024. Al Jazeera reported on September 22 that Israeli troops had raided its Ramallah bureau and informed journalists for the Doha-based network in the occupied West Bank to shutter operations. (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH / AFP) (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

After Al Jazeera office closure, what's next for press freedom in Israel?

The closure of the Ramallah Al Jazeera office came after the office in Jerusalem was shut down by order of the Israeli government last May.

Mazal Mualem

By Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

Turkey blocks multiple X accounts, cites 'terrorist crackdown'

Turkey has mounted repeated attacks on the Kurdish-led region on the grounds that it is governed by terrorists.

This picture shows a view of the newsroom at the main headquarters of Qatari news broadcaster Al Jazeera in the capital Doha on May 6, 2024. Al Jazeera went off-air in Israel on May 5, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government decided to shut it down following a long-running feud, a move the Qatar-based channel decried as "criminal". (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP) (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Why closure of Al Jazeera is futile and slippery slope for Israel

There is broad understanding in Israel that shutting down Al Jazeera's local outfit is not only technologically impossible but also harmful to Israel's international image.

Mazal Mualem

By Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

An employee of the Qatar-based news network and TV channel Al Jazeera is seen at the channel's Jerusalem office on July 31, 2017.

Israel’s Netanyahu vows to shut Al Jazeera after Knesset law

The prime minister's pledge drew statements of concern and condemnation from the White House and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) escorts King Mohammed VI of Morocco (C) and Crown Prince of Morocco, Moulay Hassan as they leave the Elysee palace on December 12, 2017 in Paris, following a lunch hosted by the French President as part of the One Planet Summit. The French President hosts 50 world leaders for the "One Planet Summit", hoping to jump-start the transition to a greener economy two years after the historic Paris agreement to limit climate change. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN

Analysis

Can France restore Morocco ties without shifting on Western Sahara?

On a visit to Rabat, French Foreign minister Stephane Sejourne acknowledged for the first time the importance of the Western Sahara issue for Moroccan diplomacy, but did not commit to any movement by Paris on the issue.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs