Introduction This August marks three years since the arrest of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora, founder of the now defunct elPeriódico, one of Central America’s most important investigative outlets. His imprisonment, under charges widely criticized as politically motivated, is emblematic of a broader pattern: a deliberate campaign to silence independent journalism in Guatemala. From mainstream media to rural radio, the government’s failure to protect, and in some cases its active persecution of, the press has become one of the greatest threats to Guatemala’s fragile democracy. The targeting of independent media Zamora’s arrest in July 2022, and the subsequent closure of elPeriódico in 2023, sent a chilling message across the Guatemalan press. Despite international outcry, including statements from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Human Rights Watch, the judicial process against Zamora has been marred by irregularities, lack of due process, and limited access to defense. As CPJ stated, “the

Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of any democratic society, acting as a check on state power and ensuring transparency, especially during times of war. Yet, in the context of Israel’s ongoing conflicts with Iran and Palestine, this fundamental right has come under sustained and systematic attack. The Israeli government’s increasingly aggressive stance toward both local and international journalists during wartime illustrates a troubling trend: using national security as a pretext to silence independent reporting. Censorship by law: a militarized approach to media One of the clearest manifestations of Israel’s press repression is its military censorship regime. In June 2025, amid heightened tensions with Iran, the Israeli military issued new directives under the “Rising Lion” censorship guidelines. These rules forbid journalists from publishing images or reports of missile or drone strike sites without prior approval from military censors. Violators face up to 30 months in prison, making this one

A brutal crackdown on independent journalism deepens as authorities jail anti-corruption reporters and peace activists under trumped-up charges. Azerbaijan has once again confirmed its reputation as one of the most repressive countries for journalists. Ranked 167th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, it is also the 10th worst jailer of journalists globally, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. President Ilham Aliyev has led a relentless campaign to eliminate dissenting voices, dismantling what little media pluralism once existed. Since 2014, his government has orchestrated a sustained crackdown against independent journalism, culminating in a new and especially brutal wave of repression that began in November 2023. A silent media landscape Today, nearly all media in Azerbaijan is state controlled. There is no independent television or radio broadcasting within the country, and all critical newspapers have been shut down. The few remaining independent media