Alla Sharko, a human rights activist and program director of the Press Club of Belarus was arrested on December 22, 2020, along with her colleagues. Authorities searched the apartments of detainees and their offices at the Press Club. The office equipment including computers, phones, and bank cards was also confiscated.

Journalist and human rights defender Sanna Ejaz was briefly arrested and later released during the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) protest on January 6. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns this vicious attack against Sana by law enforcement officials. We demand Pakistani authorities end their intimidation of journalists and respect press freedom.

Washington Post journalists Zoaenn Murphy and Whitney Leaming were arrested by police while reporting on the Capitol Hill insurrection. The city has been placed under curfew for the next 15 days. The orders issued by Mayor Muriel Bowser clearly state that the imposed curfew does not apply to essential workers, including media with outlet-issued credentials. While speaking to the Washington Post, Zoeann Murphy said she was wearing her press credentials when she was arrested. Her colleague Whitney Leaming kept the camera rolling during the incident.

Las personas y organizaciones abajo suscritas hacen un llamado a las autoridades guatemaltecas a retirar de inmediato todas las acusaciones penales contra la periodista radial indígena Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz, quien enfrenta un proceso penal tras permanecer en prisión preventiva arbitraria durante más de un mes.

The undersigned individuals and organizations call on Guatemalan authorities to immediately drop all criminal charges against Indigenous Guatemalan radio journalist Anastasia Mejía Tiriquiz, who faces a criminal trial after being held in arbitrary pre-trial detention for more than a month.

Tensions are rising as the presidential election in Uganda approaches. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) has documented numerous examples of press freedom and human rights violations during the protests and campaign rallies. On December 30, two more journalists were attacked. Culton Scovia Nakamya of BBS TV and Derrick Wandera were arrested for recording the arrest of presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu in Kalangala. CFWIJ is dismayed by the growing scale of violence towards reporters in Uganda. We call upon the authorities to respect journalists’ constitutional right to inform the public about this pivotal moment in the country’s political history.

Saudi women’s rights defender and prisoner of conscience Loujain al-Hathloul, who spent nearly three years in arbitrary pre-trial detention, sentenced to five years and eight months in prison after being charged with espionage foreign agendas and conspiring against the kingdom. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) urges the Saudi authorities to release her immediately. Being an activist and defending fundamental rights is not a crime.

Zhang Zhan, a Chinese citizen journalist was sentenced to four years in prison in Shanghai on Monday due to her coverage on the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. She was found guilty of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”. Such accusations are regularly used to intimidate social activists. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is utterly dismayed with the court’s decision. It is yet another, worrying manifestation of the suffocating environment for press freedom in China. No journalist should be subjected to vicious, legal persecution, especially when informing the public about a deadly epidemic spreading across the country.

Freelance photographer Chae Kihn was arrested by New York Police Department (NYPD) while covering an anti-Trump demonstration. The Coalition For Women In Journalism finds these arrests as tactics of suppression and intimidation against journalists who are simply doing their jobs.

Reporter Ekaterina Ishchenko was arbitrarily arrested and fined by state authorities as part of a coordinated plan to intimidate journalists. Once she was released, she faced a vitriolic organized troll campaign on social media as well. Several journalists including Ekaterina face regular institutional overreach as the state makes the environment more hostile towards journalists.

Xol Abaj radio reporter and indigenous rights activist Anastasia Mejia was arrested on September 22 with charges of “sedition”, “aggravated attack”, “arson” and “aggravated robbery” following her broadcast from Joyabaj central square informing the public about the protests against corruption.

6 Ekim 2020 günü sabah operasyonuyla gözaltına alınan Jin News muhabirleri Şehriban Abi ve Nazan Sala bugün hakim karşısına çıktı. Şehriban Abi ve Nazan Sala Mezopotamya Ajansı’nın Van bürosuna yapılan baskında gözaltına alınmış, dosyaya gizlilik kararı getirilirken 24 saat boyunca avukatlarıyla görüştürülmemişlerdi. Baskında 4 gazeteci gözaltına alınırken, gazetecilerin fotoğraf makineleri, kamera ve teknik malzemelerine el koyulmuştu.

Jinnews reporter Sehriban Abi, journalist Nazan Sala and Mesopotamia Agency correspondents Adnan Bilen and Cemil Ugur got arrested today. Following the arrest, a twitter campaign started with the Turkish hashtag #GazetecilikYargilanamaz, meaning journalism cannot be put on trial. The Coalition For Women In Journalism joined the campaign with full awareness that Sehriban Abi and Nazan Sala didn't commit a crime but they were doing their jobs in exposing the truth.

Poverty and homelessness reporter of Jefferson Public Radio, April Ehrlich was arrested while covering the news of dispersing of homeless campers who have been evicted from their “tent city” in Hawthorne Park.

Investigative journalist Paola Ugaz is facing legal harassment following her investigation of allegations of sexual abuse by the Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana, an important religious organization in Peru.