Police raided the homes of at least 15 journalists, six of whom were women. The journalists’ laptops, phones and equipment were also confiscated. Continuing crackdown against independent news outlets in Belarus is sharply escalating. A new wave of mass raids jeopardizes the lives of journalists. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) closely monitors the incidents in the country. We urge Lukashenko’s administration to end the oppression against journalists.

CubaNet journalist Camila Acosta will be prosecuted for crimes against State Security, according to the screenwriter Ángel Santiesteban confirmed on July 12. The journalist remains in custody following the demonstrations she covered on July 11. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is utterly dismayed by these crackdowns against journalists in the country. We demand Cuban authorities release Camila immediately.

A former Tut.By employee and writer, Yulia Chernyavskaya is suffering serious health problems under house arrest. Yulia’s defense is now asking for leniency in her punishment to at least allow her hospital visits. Her counsel is ready to give a personal guarantee that she will not leave her home under any other circumstances. Yulia was put under house arrest more than two months ago.

Iryna Novik, a project editor for Hrodna.life, was detained by the Belarusian police over a photo she released. She posted a picture of a Ryanair plane with a logo of a Telegram channel banned in the country. The photo remained on the channel’s feed for five hours, though Iryna reports that when the error was noticed, the post was removed. She was detained for two days before she was released. CFWIJ condemns the unjustified crackdown on press freedom in the country. We stand in solidarity with Iryna and denounce the attack against the journalist.

Glafira Zhuk, a journalist associated with Narodnaya Volya, was released after 30 days in detention. During her detention, including two days in solitary confinement, she was not allowed to shower and only let outside once. The court convicted Glafira for a social media post she shared while covering a case. Judicial authorities deemed her a participant in the mass protest. Glafira had to spend her 20th birthday in prison at Akrestsin Street. The journalist revealed after her release that the cells were overcrowded and female prisoners were only allowed to walk for 20-30 min. CFWIJ condemns the unjustified detention of Glafira. We are dismayed by the journalism faculty’s expulsion of Glafira following her release.

Three journalists from digital media platform Soch Videos were arrested by Sindh police for covering protests organized by working-class communities outside Bilawal House. Fizza Qureshi and Gul Nayani who have been consistently reporting on the housing crisis in the city were present on site. According to Fizza, the Sindh police was deployed solely to disrupt a peaceful protest in order to silence the legitimate grievances of those affected by the capitalist policies of the state.

The situation of press freedoms in Belarus continues to deteriorate as journalists are subjected to detentions and state violence for covering the ongoing protests in the country. On May 14, law enforcement agencies detained TUT.BY reporter Liubou Kaspiarovich and sentenced her to 15 days in prison. On May 28, police forces detained a journalist for Narodnaya Volya, Hlafira Zhuk, and sentenced her to 30 days in prison.

Israeli forces physically assaulted and arrested two Palestinian journalists in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood without charge and warrant. Wahbi Makiya and Zeina Al-Halawani were arrested while they were covering the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem where the Israeli state intends to enact mass displacements. This is the latest in a series of examples of free press violations that Israeli forces have committed since the beginning of the recent cycle of violence in the region.

Police officers in the capital arbitrarily detained and beat journalist Caleb Kudah. While he was kept in custody, the officers discovered the data Kudah had shared with colleague Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo. Addo was then tricked into coming to the police station where she, too, was detained by officials, who also confiscated her phone.

Massive crackdown against the independent news website Tut.by follows more detentions. Four journalists, two of them women, were detained in Minsk on May 25 and released in the evening. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of press freedom and safety of journalists. We demand Belarusian authorities to release journalists who remain behind bars for more than a week and end the intimidation against Tut.by.

Reporter Lyubov Kasperovich was sentenced to 15 days of detention over a charge of participating unauthorised demonstration. The journalist was detained by police while covering the trial of a group of 12 young opposition supporters at the Oktyabrsky District Court in Minsk. After three days of detention, the judge ordered 15 days of arrest against Lyubov. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is appalled by these arbitrary detentions against journalists. We demand Belarusian authorities end these unlawful practices towards journalists and Lyubov Kasperovich should be released immediately. Journalism is not a crime.

The police arrested journalist Kenza Khattou, a reporter for local independent news website Radio M, on May 14 for covering an anti-government protest. The protests in the capital have been ongoing since 2019 despite immense police repression and are routinely covered by the press. Those who were arrested alongside Khattou also alleged that the police used violence while detaining them.

Mary Karla Ares, a reporter for local newspaper Amanecer Habanero, was arrested by the Cuban Revolutionary Police on April 30 in Havana. The journalist was apprehended while live-streaming a demonstration on Facebook. The protest was held in support of Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who was on a thirst and hunger strike after his artwork was confiscated by the authorities.

Russian law enforcement authorities detained at least three women journalists from different parts of the country while they were covering pro-Navalny protests. Yulia Suguyeva, Bariyat Idrisova, Ksenia Klochkova were detained in Makhachkala and Saint Petersburg. Yulia and Bariyat are correspondents for independent news website Mediazona. According to the journalist, they did show their press credentials to police but they were taken into a minibus along with other detainees. In Saint Petersburg, Ksenia Klochova, a correspondent for independent news website, Fontanka was investigated allegedly for causing obstruction in the movement of traffic during a protest. She was not detained but police searched her house. CFWIJ is alarmed by yet another wave of legal persecution and harassment against women journalists, covering protests. We demand that Russian authorities end targeting women journalists for doing their job and let them report freely.

Correspondent for Multimedios Television, Vianca Maleny Trevino Nevejar, was assaulted by police and detained in the early morning on Friday, April 9. The journalist was tightly grabbed by the wrist as police put her in the van. They took her phone and wristwatch and kept pressing her to reveal her password. The journalist was on assignment for covering an assault incident at a beverage store with her cameraman, Raul Zuniga when she was confronted by the police. When police saw Vianca reporting on the spot, they immediately cordoned off the area. Police officers accused Vianca of disrespecting the space, crossing the yellow tape and taking pictures. We stand in solidarity with the journalist and urge the law enforcement authorities of Mexico City to conduct a thorough investigation and hold the police officials accountable.