International Press Institute (IPI)

Encryption is widely used by investigative journalists to protect the identity of sources and the integrity of communication with those sources. These tools have been at the centre of public debate since Edward Snowden’s revelations on mass electronic surveillance came to light.

Dozens of Iranian journalists, bloggers, and human rights, social and political activists unknown to the outside world still languish in Iranian prisons.

Gleydson Carvalho was shot five times by two gunmen while he presented a live show on August 6 in the northeastern city of Camocim, news reports said. Carvalho was known for reporting on government corruption at Radio Liberdade FM station.

Renowned Syrian journalist Mazen Darwish was freed on 10 August 2015 after spending nearly three-and-a-half years behind bars in his home country on spurious terrorism charges.

The undersigned organizations denounce the continued attacks on and threats to journalists, media workers and human rights defenders, most recently the incidents in which human rights defender Pierre Claver Mbonimpa survived an attempt on his life, while journalist Esdras Ndikumana was the victim of a brutal attack by police and intelligence officials.

According to his own account, imprisoned Egyptian freelance photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, also known as “Shawkan”, has been subject to severe physical abuse and deprivation at the hands of security forces and officers at Tora Prison

“Insurgency came suddenly upon our country,” says journalist Adeola Akinremi. “It has not always been there, so no one prepared for it. Even those in the military didn’t prepare for terrorism, let alone the journalists.”

An Egyptian court announced it would reach a verdict on July 30 in the case against Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed after the case was adjourned on eight previous occasions. Peter Greste, is being tried in absentia on the same terrorism charges.