Press Freedom Status For Women Journalists: September 2021
Throughout the month of September 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented 61 cases of violations against women journalists. Types of violations include detentions, legal harassment, and physical assaults in the field, among other various kinds of press freedom attacks towards women journalists reporting from different parts of the world.
12 women journalists were attacked in the field
Lebanon: Reporter for Al Jadeed TV, Layal Saad was denied entry to Baabda Presidential Palace. The reporter was on location to cover a cabinet meeting. Continue reading for details.
Turkey: At least three women journalists were impeded by the police forces while following September 1 World Peace Day demonstration in İstanbul. Read more.
Turkey: Seven women journalists were prevented from following the Kobani Trial which took place in Ankara. Find out more about the case.
United States: Sports director for WTOC11, Lyndsey Gough, endured intimidation from random fans and spectators while reporting from the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta on September 5. Further details are available here.
At least 10 women journalists were physically assaulted
Afghanistan: A woman journalist was beaten and her equipment was broken by the Taliban forces while covering the women’s demonstrators at Dasht-e-Barchi. Read more about the case.
Montenegro: Aleksandra Tolj Ruzic, a correspondent for N1 TV, was harassed and attacked while covering a demonstration in Cetinje. Find out more about the incident.
Nigeria: Officers from The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) broke into Norah Okafor’s house in the middle of the night without any prior notice. They harassed Norfah’s family and damaged her property. Click here for more details.
Slovenia: A group of people stormed into the RTV Slovenija’s (RTVS) headquarters in Ljubljana in protest against the measures to limit COVID-19 in the country. Continue reading about the case.
Tunisia: Security forces attacked at least 9 journalists, including three women, while they were following the anti-government protest in Tunis on World Peace Day. Further details about the case are available here
Turkey: At least two women journalists were physically assaulted by the police forces while following September 1 World Peace Day demonstration in Istanbul. Read further deails.
Seven women journalists were detained
Belarus: The editor of the "Green Portal", Yanina Melnikova was detained for 72 hours. Security forces raided the journalist's house and took Yanina for interrogation. Click here for more details.
China: Sophia Huang Xueqin, a freelance journalist, activist, and a leading figure in China's #Metoo movement has reportedly gone missing. There are concerns that Chinese authorities might have apprehended the journalist. Continue reading about the case.
Myanmar: Freelance journalist Ma Thuzar was abruptly taken into custody by military officials earlier this month. Further details are available here.
Poland: Agnieszka Kaszuba was briefly detained along with her team for reporting about the arrest of migrants on the Polish-Belarusian border. Read more.
Russia: Three women journalists were detained by the police in Moscow while picketing outside the Ministry of Justice on September 8. Read more.
Three women journalists faced threats
India: Journalist Trishna Das was verbally abused and threatened with death while she was traveling between cities. Learn more about the incident.
Slovenia: Journalist at the public broadcaster RTV Slovenia, Eugenija Carl received a threatening handwritten note alongside a suspicious white powder. Find out more about the case.
United States: A sportswriter and beat reporter for the San Francisco Giants, Susan Slusser was accosted by a drunk man as she left Oracle Park after the game. Continue reading for details.
Seven cases of legal harassment came to light
Bangladesh: Rozina Islam, the award-winner investigative journalist, appeared in court to defend herself on a baseless criminal charge for which she faces up to 14 years in prison. Learn more about the case.
Belarus: State authorities searched the apartment of ex-TV broadcaster Katerina Pytleva on September 7. The journalist fled the country earlier this year after facing threats of a possible criminal case against her. Continue reading about the case.
India: A baseless police complaint was registered against Rana Ayyub by state-backed political workers. Further details about the issue are available here.
Iran: The General Directorate of Prisons in Bushehr filed a criminal complaint against journalist and political prisoner Sepideh Qoliyan, who is on leave from prison. Click here for more details.
Pakistan: The court refused to accommodate Tanzeela Mazhar’s medical concerns during her hearing. Tanzeela is currently pregnant and nursing a fractured foot. Read more.
Turkey: An investigation was launched against Jinnews reporter Öznur Değer regarding her posts and stories about the assassination of seven people in the same family in Konya. Continue reading details.
Turkey: The court sentenced Nurcan Kaya to fifteen months in prison over terror-related charges and deferred the announcement of the verdict. Read further details.
20 instances of organized troll campaigns were recorded
Canada: Journalist Christy Somos received vile emails after politician Maxime Bernier tweeted out her email address alongside several of her colleagues. Read more.
Canada: Journalist Saba Eitizaz was targeted with misogynist and racist threats online. Following her declaration on Twitter, at least six women journalists revealed they were exposed to similar attacks. Find out more.
Canada: At least eight women journalists received vile emails after right-wing politician Maxime Bernier tweeted a provocative message to his followers. Click here for further details.
Pakistan: Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry casually labeled prominent journalists and media houses in the country as being “agenda-driven” on Absa Komal’s and Humaira Shah’s shows. The journalists faced vicious online trolling in the aftermath. Continue reading.
Pakistan: Gharidah Farooqi, a prominent TV host, was attacked by an organized troll campaign after she expressed her views on the Single National Curriculum introduced by the government. Read about the case.
Pakistan: Journalist Benazir Shah was targeted by an organized troll campaign instigated by Focal Person (Digital Media) to CM Punjab, Azhar Mashwani, after she reported on the Single National Curriculum. Find further details here.
Pakistan: Gharidah Farooqi faced a second harassment campaign against her within the same month. The vile, deeply gendered campaign was based on false allegations and heresy. Learn more.
One woman journalist faced online harassment
Switzerland: Cathy Macherel was targeted with vicious insults by far-right essayist and filmmaker Alain “Soral'' Bonnet. The details on the case are available here.
At least one woman journalist faced sexual harassment
India: Journalist Greeshma Kuthar was harassed by a man while traveling at night. According to Kuthar, the incident took place at a prominent junction in Anna Nagar. Read more details.
If you would like to request more insight into our findings, or would like to suggest an addition to our work reach out to us at data@womeninjournalism.org. For media inquiries reach out to us at press@womeninjournalism.org.