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A press photographer wearing helmet and gas mask covering a revolt in the streets of Paris, with a small pile of burning trash in the street and clouds of tear gas in the distance
Image: Yaghobzadeh Alfred/abaca/picture alliance

Press freedom

A free and independent media landscape, a fundamental characteristic of democracies, is protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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All Content on this topic

Pakistani conservatives protesting Facebook in 2010

Pakistan passes strict social media regulations

Pakistan has passed news laws to curb social media "extremism", but critics say the rules really target free speech.
Law and JusticeFebruary 24, 2020
Nigeria Jumia-Mitarbeiter

Combat hate online, limit press freedom?

More and more African countries have laws against online hate speech. But these laws often lead to censorship.
PoliticsFebruary 23, 2020
Kizito Mihigo Ruanda Musiker Sänger

Kizito Mihigo's death likely a 'political assassination'

The Rwandan singer had been detained after police said he tried to cross the border into Burundi illegally last week.
Freedom of SpeechFebruary 21, 2020
Slovakai | ermordeter Journalist Jan Kuciak und Martina Kusnirova | Freedom Square

In memoriam: The immortal search for truth

Two years after Kuciak's murder, it is still unclear who ordered his death.
SocietyFebruary 21, 2020
Stella Nyanzi

Museveni critic Nyanzi released from Uganda jail

Stella Nyanzi was sentenced to 18 months in prison for "insulting" President Yoweri Museveni.
PoliticsFebruary 20, 2020
Chinese President Xi Jinping

Opinion: A sign of China's insecurity

In a rare move, China expelled several foreign correspondents. It's a sign of insecurity, says DW's Philipp Bilsky.
PoliticsFebruary 20, 2020
Türkei Silivri Gericht | Freispruch Gezi Park Proteste | Mucella Yapici

Freedom of speech stands trial in Turkey

Years after the Gezi protests, violations of human rights still remain as a massive problem in Turkey.
PoliticsFebruary 18, 2020
Ensaf Haidar holding board that says 'Free Raif'

Jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi's wife 'fears the worst'

Ensaf Haidar has taken to twitter to express concerns for her husband's month-long disappearance.
PoliticsFebruary 14, 2020
A memorial for Li Wenliang in Hong Kong

Doctor's death a 'moment of awakening' for China

DW spoke with human rights lawyer Wang Yu about how Li Wenliang's death has changed public discourse on the outbreak.
SocietyFebruary 14, 2020
Deniz Yücel wearing sunglasses

Turkey seeks 16-year in jail for German reporter

German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yücel faces charges for spreading PKK propaganda but many think the charges are absurd.
Press FreedomFebruary 14, 2020
A journalist holds a camera, recording an interview

Somali journalists suffer killings, attacks and threats

Somali media are hounded by parties on all sides of the conflict, finds a new Amnesty International report.
ConflictsFebruary 13, 2020
Türkei Protest Pressefreiheit

Journalists under threat: February's 10 most urgent cases

Every month, the One Free Press Coalition draws attention to unresolved cases of crimes against journalists.
Freedom of SpeechFebruary 4, 2020
Gambia Niederschlagung von Protesten

Gambian journalists worried over diminishing press freedom

Recent attacks on the media in Gambia have reminded journalists of the dark days of ex-ruler Yahya Jammeh.
PoliticsJanuary 31, 2020
DW Conflict Zone | Lai Mohammed

Lai Mohammed on Conflict Zone

Nigerian information minister on Conflict Zone
PoliticsJanuary 29, 2020
Turkish Wikipedia page

Turkey lifts ban on Wikipedia

A Turkish court has lifted a nearly 3-year ban on Wikipedia.
SocietyJanuary 16, 2020
A protester covers a security camera on the outside of the Chinese government's liaison office in Hong Kong after taking part in an anti-extradition bill march

World in Progress: Human rights at stake

Human rights are at risk on a global scale — listen to our in-depth show on how critical voices are silenced.
Human RightsJanuary 15, 202029:59 min
Protesters place a photo of Moroccan rapper Gnawi outside a court in November

World in Progress: Morocco jails critics

Moroccan human rights activists have warned of an assault on freedom of expression.
Human RightsJanuary 15, 202006:30 min
Symbolic photo of someone typing on a keyboard.

Thailand: HRW slams oppressive media laws

Thais are facing increasingly fewer freedoms of expression, according to the Human Rights Watch World Report.
Human RightsJanuary 14, 2020
Journalisten demonstrieren nach Mord an Daphne Caruana Galizia in Valletta, Malta

Journalists under threat: January's 10 most urgent cases

Every month, the One Free Press Coalition draws attention to unresolved cases of crimes against journalists.
Freedom of SpeechJanuary 6, 2020
Demonstrators face police officers in front of the WDR building in Cologne (DW/K. Martyr)

German grandmothers clash over viral song

Grandmothers have protested outside public broadcaster WDR after a satirical environment song sparked outrage.
SocietyJanuary 4, 2020
Turkey Opposition Newspaper

Turkey sentences critical newspaper journalists to prison

Six journalists and one staffer of the opposition newspaper Sozcu were found guilty of terrorism.
PoliticsDecember 27, 2019
Slovaks Protest corruption

Trial for murder of reporter begins in Slovakia

The murder of a journalist and his partner shocked Slovakia, brought people to the streets and toppled the government.
CrimeDecember 19, 2019
Journalists, one with "Press" written on his jacket

Fewer journalists killed but more detained

Reporters Without Borders says 49 journalists have been killed in 2019, the lowest figure in 16 years.
Human RightsDecember 17, 2019
In this April 17, 2015 file photo, pictures of jailed veteran Chinese journalist Gao Yu are displayed by protesters outside Chinese central government's liaison office in Hong Kong.

China jails more journalists than anywhere else: report

A new report has revealed the extent of China and Turkey's jailing of journalists.
SocietyDecember 11, 2019
DW Urdu Blogger - Shahzeb Ali Shah Jilani

Opinion: The decline of media freedom in Pakistan

National media in Pakistan is witnessing one of the darkest periods in decades, writes DW's Shahzeb Jilani.
Press FreedomDecember 10, 2019
A man reads a newspaper in Bangladesh

Job uncertainty restricts journalists' freedom in Bangladesh

Bangladesh's media landscape is expanding but journalists remain deprived of rights that restrict their freedom to work.
MediaDecember 9, 2019
Iranian journalists in Europe face threats from home

Iranian journalists in Europe face threats from home

Iranian journalists living abroad say officials back home are harassing family members to silence critical reporting.
Press FreedomDecember 5, 2019
Russian President Vladimir Putin calls for alternative to Wikipedia

Inside Europe: Russia journalists fear 'foreign agent' law

A new law in Russia will allow the government to declare individuals "foreign agents." Emily Sherwin reports.
PoliticsDecember 5, 201903:44 min
Woman reads Hungarian paper (Hungary)

Inside Europe:Hungarian control over press 'unprecedented'

Hungary's control over the media is unprecedented in the EU, according to a new report. Interview with Stefan Bos.
PoliticsDecember 5, 201905:48 min
Mannteufel Ingo Kommentarbild App

Stifling Russian journalists

Ingo Mannteufel
By creating a climate of fear, the government is forcing reporters to self-censor, DW's Ingo Mannteufel writes.
Press FreedomDecember 4, 2019
Duma

Putin can use foreign agents law against press

Reporters working for for foreign-funded media outlets that offend Russia's government could soon face steep fines.
Press FreedomDecember 3, 2019
A plenary session of the State Duma, a lower house of the Russian parliament.

Putin signs law targeting journalists as 'foreign agents'

The move has been criticized as a further restriction on freedom of expression in the country.
PoliticsDecember 2, 2019
Hendrik Sittig

Expert: Media in South-East Europe politically influenced

The dependence of the public media in South-East Europe on the ruling structures is still very strong, says Sittig.
Press FreedomDecember 2, 2019
DW Kommentatorenbild Benjamin Restle

Freedom of speech under attack in Germany? Hardly.

Benjamin Restle
Claims by right-wing observers that only mainstream opinions are allowed in Germany are wrong, writes Benjamin Restle.
PoliticsDecember 2, 2019
Chinese police in Shenzhen

Protesters clash with riot police in China

Hundreds of people protested when plans for a park became plans for a crematorium.
ConflictsNovember 30, 2019
Journalists in Egypt protest on World Press Freedom Day in Cairo, Egypt

Egypt's Mada Masr: 'We're not going to shut up'

Reporters are working under "increasingly hostile" circumstances in Cairo, the journalist Sharif Abdel Kouddous told DW.
Press FreedomNovember 26, 2019
Konrad Mizzi walks down the steps of a government building

Malta: Ministers quit as journalist murder probe heats up

Two ministers and Malta's chief of staff quit although they deny wrongdoing.
CrimeNovember 26, 2019
Protesters with a photo of Moroccan rapper Gnawi

Moroccan rapper jailed for a year

Rapper Gnawi cursed the police in a live social media post, after saying he felt he had been "mistreated by police."
Law and JusticeNovember 26, 2019
Ahmet Altan

Jailed Turkish writer Ahmet Altan wins Scholl literary prize

Despite his imprisonment, Turkish author and journalist Ahmet Altan continues to speak his mind.
CultureNovember 25, 2019
Fake news sign on Facebook (May 13, 2019, APA/Lukas Huter)

Singapore invokes 'fake news' law for first time

A British-born Singaporean citizen has been accused of posting "false" and "misleading" statements on Facebook.
PoliticsNovember 25, 2019
IDZ-Direktor Dr. Matthias Quent

Clear line between hate speech, free speech

Matthias Quent
Hate-filled statements should not be tolerated, as they attack the core values of our democracy.
PoliticsNovember 24, 2019
Egyptian policeman with mask

Egypt: Police raid independent media outlet

Three members of staff, including chief editor Lina Attalah, were taken for questioning and later released.
Human RightsNovember 24, 2019
Hanover demos

Thousands march against extreme-right NPD rally

NPD supporters marching against journalists were vastly outnumbered by counterdemonstators in defense of the press.
PoliticsNovember 23, 2019
Journalists, with their mouths taped, sit in front of a portrait of Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste to protest against his imprisonment along with others in Egypt in 2014

Independent Egyptian media outlet says editor detained

As press freedom wanes in Egypt, security forces have taken an editor of Mada Masr into custody.
PoliticsNovember 23, 2019
Turkish freedom activists read Cumhuriyet newspaper

Turkish court confirms convictions of Cumhuriyet journalists

The ruling was made despite a higher court ruling which should have overturned it.
SocietyNovember 21, 2019
A memorial to Daphne Caruana Galizia

Malta police arrest suspect in journalist murder case

Malta police have arrested a prominent businessman in connection with the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
PoliticsNovember 20, 2019
Ethiopian newspapers - one featuring Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

Press freedom under siege again in the new Ethiopia

Is Ethiopia already reneging on its promise of increased media freedom?
MediaNovember 16, 2019
Ugandan police holding shields and wearing helmets stand in a row in front of Bobi Wine's house

Uganda clamps down ferociously on dissent

Uganda's opposition has a tough fight ahead to loosen President Yoweri Museveni's three-decade hold on power.
PoliticsNovember 14, 2019
Police arrest Ahmet Altan at night

Turkey rearrests journalist Ahmet Altan

Prominent Turkish journalist Ahmet Altan had been free for little more than a week when he was detained again.
PoliticsNovember 12, 2019
Malta Gedenken Daphne Caruana Galizia

OCCRP: 'You're not going to kill the story' 

Press FreedomNovember 7, 2019