Cambodia: Release and drop the charges against environmental reporter Uk Mao
In a joint statement, civil society groups said the 15 legal complaints against the reporter are a “concerning misappropriation of the judicial system to attempt to silence his environmental reporting.”
Jordan: The blocking of news websites is a grave violation of freedom of expression and the right to access information
IFEX and rights groups denounce the censorship of independent media as a politically motivated crackdown, imposed without due process and in violation of free expression protections.
Albania: Media freedom groups raise alarm over intimidation of journalists during parliamentary elections
“Since the 11 May election, at least 20 journalists and media entities have faced reporting interference and pressure, including from public officials” – MFRR
Stopping Israel’s attack on civil society, justice and human rights
Proposed laws threaten human rights work by imposing heavy taxes, criminalizing ICC cooperation, and restricting NGOs in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
In absentia verdict against Hisham Kassem reinforces rising transnational repression of exiled dissidents
The prominent publisher and political dissident faces politically motivated charges as Egypt intensifies efforts to silence critics both inside and outside its borders.
EU: Reopening GDPR is a threat to rights and the future of EU digital policy
108 civil society organisations (including IFEX), academics, companies and other experts have called on the European Commission to protect people’s rights and dignity in a data-driven world by reaffirming the GDPR as the cornerstone of EU’s digital law and supporting its rigorous enforcement.
Hungary: New foreign funding bill threatens independent media and civil society groups
“If passed, this legislation would effectively represent the first foreign agent-style law in the EU, marking another milestone in Hungary’s democratic decline” – MFRR partners.
Joint statement from civil society groups on the Chinese government’s arbitrary detention of journalist Zhang Zhan
Zhang Zhan was first detained in 2020 for documenting the COVID-19 situation in Wuhan and for reporting on the harassment faced by independent journalists.
Open letter regarding the assault on the right to political participation, the rule of law and human rights in Türkiye
IFEX and other signatories state that they consider that the EU’s response to developments in Türkiye has been overly mild and manifestly fails to match the scale and gravity of the clampdown unfolding in the country.
CPJ, partners condemn Saudi Arabia’s press freedom record ahead of Trump’s visit
Rights groups call on Saudi authorities to release detained journalists, lift arbitrary travel bans, and end legal and digital attacks targeting independent voices.
Bahrain: Joint Letter on Human Rights Situation to Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Ahead of the 59th Human Rights Council session, IFEX joins rights groups urging UN members to press Bahrain for the release of political prisoners and to halt imminent executions.
Nicaragua’s Withdrawal from UNESCO Deepens Crisis in Freedom of Expression
Nicaragua’s Withdrawal from UNESCO Deepens Crisis in Freedom of Expression On May 4, 2025, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), announced that the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua had formally notified its withdrawal from the international organization.
Libya: State control and fragmented legal frameworks threaten press freedom
Outdated laws and political interference are choking Libya’s media. Rights groups call for legal reforms and civil society consultation to protect press freedom.
Protecting Cambodia’s independent media
Independent media face increasing restrictions and threats. In 2024, there were 41 cases of harassment involving at least 64 journalists.
Serbia: New report finds pressure on journalists increasing
“From censorship, political pressure, deepening media capture and relentless smear campaigns to abusive lawsuits and daily threats to their lives, media workers face a hostile environment where perpetrators act with total impunity” – MFRR
Serious threat to civic space in Peru: Organisations condemn law that restricts the work of civil society
The undersigned organisations express our strongest condemnation of the enactment last April 14, 2025, without observation by the Executive Branch of Peru, of the law approved in Congress on March 12, which represents a serious threat to the defense of human rights. Likewise, the approval of this law does not comply with Peru’s obligation to guarantee the rights of assembly, association, expression, defense of human rights of the members of civil society organizations, access to justice, and the right to petition before an international body of the victims.