On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, ARTICLE 19 expresses deep concern about the ongoing attacks on, and the deteriorating situation for, press and media freedom in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Journalists in Palestine and Lebanon continue to be targeted and killed in an atmosphere of complete impunity. Authorities continue to restrict the media space using laws that are inconsistent with their countries’ human rights obligations, as well as through judicial harassment and administrative measures that limit independent reporting. Across the region, the weak or absence of effective media regulatory and self-regulatory bodies is eroding oversight, increasing vulnerability, weakening protection for journalists, and deteriorating the overall environment for press freedom. Independent journalists and media outlets, in particular those covering issues of public interest, face growing pressure for their work. These practices not only target individual media professionals but also contribute to the broader erosion of media pluralism and independence, undermining the public’s right to information.
Journalists reporting on war are targeted across the region
Since Israel’s war on Gaza began in 2023 and following its escalation into Lebanon, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have repeatedly targeted journalists, silencing their reporting in an environment already marked by a lack of accountability.
Following the start of Israel and the United States’ war in Iran, journalists across the region routinely face violence, attacks, arrests, intimidation, and killing, alongside other efforts to crack down on freedom of expression and shrink the space for information. This has been accompanied by a recurring pattern of Israel associating journalists with militant groups, further undermining the protection they are guaranteed under international humanitarian law.
Israel and the United States’s unlawful military intervention in Iran prompted Iran to extend its military operations to Gulf states, prompting a further shrinking in civic space across those countries. Journalists covering the conflict are increasingly targeted, facing arrest and threats for their reporting, often under the guise of protecting national security.
See our other statement covering these issues in more depth here.
Repeated arrests and harassment of journalists across the region
Journalists and media workers in the MENA region continue to operate in an increasingly restrictive environment marked by judicial harassment, arrests, and restrictions on their work. Across the region, they face intimidation and legal action under vague and overly broad provisions that fall short of international standards on freedom of expression. These laws are frequently applied as part of a broader pattern aimed at silencing dissent, suppressing critical voices, and restricting reporting on matters of public interest.
In Algeria, on 5 February, journalist Abdelei Mezghiche was arrested in connection with Facebook posts reporting on public anger over the imprisonment of local figures in the city of Djanet. On 9 February, a court in Algiers ordered his pretrial detention on charges including ‘posting social media content that could harm the national interest’ and ‘spreading hate speech and racism.’. At least six journalists are currently imprisoned in Algeria in connection with their work.
In Egypt, journalist Ismail Alexandrani was re-arrested on 24 September and charged with joining a terrorist group, spreading false news and rumours, and using a website to promote extremist ideas. Cartoonist and journalist Ashraf Omar remains detained on similar charges, including ‘joining a terrorist group’, ‘spreading false news’, and ‘misusing social media’. These cases reflect a broader pattern of sustained restrictions on journalism in Egypt, where at least 18 journalists are currently imprisoned in relation to their work.
In Tunisia, cybercrime legislation and provisions of the telecommunications code continue to be used to target and harass journalists. Journalist Ziad El-Heni was arrested on 24 April after being summoned before the Fifth Central Unit for Combating Information and Communication Technology Crime in the capital. He is being investigated under Article 86 of the telecommunications code over a social media post on the case of journalist Khelifa El Guesmi. Similarly, commentator Sonia Dahmani was sentenced on 13 April to 18 months in prison under Article 24 of Decree-Law 54, based on statements she made on television in 2024. Journalists Borhen Bsais and Mourad Zghidi were arrested in May 2024 and sentenced to eight months on false news and defamation charges under Decree 54 on cybercrime. They are currently facing three-and-a-half-year prison sentences for alleged money laundering while waiting for the appeal decision.
Fragility and threats to media regulation and self-regulation
The absence or weakness of independent regulatory bodies in the MENA region continues to undermine the media sector. A free and pluralistic media environment depends on media actors being able to operate independently from government control, within robust regulatory and self-regulatory frameworks that ensure oversight and accountability within the sector. These frameworks should at the same time safeguard journalistic practice from undue interference from the state authorities, including the executive and the judiciary, thereby enabling them to fulfil their role as public watchdogs and ensure access to diverse viewpoints, particularly on matters of public interest.
However, media regulatory and self-regulatory bodies often operate under structural and institutional constraints that limit their ability to effectively perform this role. These bodies are either not established or they lack sufficient independence. In such contexts, they risk becoming politicised instruments that constrain rather than protect freedom of expression. In Tunisia, the Independent High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HAICA) remains paralysed due to administrative deadlock and a leadership vacuum that has been in place since January 2023, with no successor appointed despite repeated calls for reform.
In Libya, media regulation remains fragmented between eastern and western authorities, mirroring the country’s political division and reflecting the absence of a unified, independent regulatory framework.
Even where regulatory bodies are formally established, concerns over political interference remain widespread. In Algeria, the 2023 law on audiovisual activity replaced the former regulatory authority with a new body composed of nine members appointed by the President of the Republic for a five-year term. This appointment mechanism raises concerns regarding independence, as it risks exposing regulatory decisions to political influence rather than ensuring they are guided by the public interest.
These concerns become particularly acute where regulatory authorities are granted broad or vague powers. In Egypt, the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, largely appointed by the president, holds extensive prerogatives, including the authority to block journalistic websites, social media accounts, or personal pages with more than 5,000 followers, on grounds that are not consistent with international standards on freedom of expression. In 2025, independent outlet Zawia3 was blocked following investigative reporting. A similar pattern can be observed in Iraq, where the media regulator has, particularly in early 2026, relied on administrative measures to silence critical voices and restrict access to pluralistic information. These measures are often justified using broad and vague terms such as ‘protecting social peace’, ‘professional standards’, or ‘combatting low-quality content’, allowing for wide discretion and potential misuse.
The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights has documented several such cases, including bans on political analysts and activists’ media appearances following opinions they expressed. In Jordan, authorities have also blocked multiple online outlets for allegedly ‘spreading media poison’ following reporting on public issues related to the war in Palestine. Such measures restrict the public’s right to access information and undermine informed debate and accountability.
With regard to self-regulation, internationally recognised as the preferred model for regulating the press, such mechanisms remain largely absent in the region. In Morocco, recent legislative developments concerning the National Press Council have raised concerns for media stakeholders. The current draft law, which the government amended and approved following a Constitutional Court ruling that declared several provisions of Draft Law No. 26.25 unconstitutional, still raises concerns for ARTICLE 19. In particular, questions remain regarding the proposed appointment structure and whether it provides sufficient guarantees of independence in practice, as well as the Council’s disciplinary powers, which may extend beyond proportionate moral sanctions.
In Tunisia, the Press Council has also faced online campaigns questioning its legitimacy and role as a self-regulatory body. These challenges are partly linked to limited public awareness of the role of self-regulation and international standards, as well as among media stakeholders. At the same time, the Council continues to face structural challenges, including limited financial and human resources, and the absence of full legal recognition, which further constrains its effectiveness.
Independent media targeted
Independent media remains one of the last avenues for critical and investigative reporting in the region, yet it faces multiple challenges. Financial constraints, shrinking funding opportunities, and rapid technological changes have weakened the sector, while administrative and judicial harassment continues to intensify.
Independent outlets are increasingly targeted through coordinated campaigns aimed at discrediting their work. In Lebanon, a digital campaign accused platforms including Daraj and Megaphone of receiving ‘suspicious foreign funding’, which led to a formal investigation. In Tunisia, the association Al Khatt, which manages the investigative outlet Inkyfada, faces a potential dissolution ruling scheduled for May 2026 following a series of financial and legal pressures. Since late 2023, it has experienced repeated funding blockages, suspension measures, and legal summons. In Egypt, Mada Masr continues to face sustained judicial harassment. Its Editor-in-Chief, Lina Attalah, was summoned for interrogation in August 2025 shortly after the outlet published an investigative report on detention conditions in Badr 3 Prison.
Journalism and media freedom in the MENA region continue to face mounting challenges that undermine the public’s right to freedom of expression and access to pluralistic, diverse reporting. These challenges include legal frameworks that fall short of international standards, weak and fragmented regulatory and self-regulatory mechanisms, and persistent threats targeting journalists, particularly those reporting on war.
ARTICLE 19 therefore calls on MENA countries to engage in inclusive and participatory reform processes with all media stakeholders in order to meet their obligations to respect, protect, and fulfil the right to freedom of expression — an essential cornerstone of any democratic society.