All articles tagged with #cpj
CPJ booted biotech heiress Nika Soon-Shiong from its board as it launches a full review of its Gaza journalist-deaths list amid allegations it includes militants and reflects anti-Israel bias, triggering internal debate among board members and renewed calls for data verification.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is conducting a full review of its Gaza journalist casualty database after Hamas and PIJ published obituaries naming individuals as combatants who CPJ had previously listed as journalists. CPJ has already removed eight names for being Hamas/PIJ members and twelve for other reasons, bringing its Gaza/Israeli detention center tally to 209 journalist casualties since Oct 7, 2023. The review, expected to conclude in July, reflects CPJ’s rule to exclude those who engaged in combat and notes that on-the-ground verification has been hampered by Gaza access restrictions. The episode coincides with a Meir Amit Center study asserting about 60% of those killed identified as journalists in Gaza had terrorist affiliations, fueling debate over journalist civilian status and the use of press insignia.
HonestReporting alleges the Committee to Protect Journalists quietly removed six individuals from its Gaza casualty list—people tied to Hamas or Islamic Jihad—casting doubt on the NYT Gaza rape piece by Nicholas Kristof that cited CPJ data. Critics say the deletions, not publicly acknowledged, undermine the credibility of the Times report and CPJ’s journalism ethics, while CPJ maintains it updates its list when individuals are not actually journalists or when deaths aren’t work-related; the controversy deepens concerns about bias and transparency surrounding sources used in major outlets.
Israel has been added to the Committee to Protect Journalists' list of "worst jailers of journalists" for the first time, alongside authoritarian states like Iran, China, and Myanmar. The report highlights the detention of Palestinian journalists without trial during the recent conflict in Gaza, reflecting a broader crackdown on free speech and criticism of the war. The practice of administrative detention by the Israeli military allows for prolonged imprisonment without charge, leaving detainees helpless and facing unknown allegations. The CPJ also documented numerous incidents of journalists being targeted in Israel and Palestine, including assaults, threats, cyberattacks, and censorship.
At least 31 journalists, including their families, have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The death toll includes 26 Palestinian journalists, four Israelis, and one Lebanese member. Journalists in the region are facing unprecedented threats and dangers, with some documenting the situation while expressing their fear of death. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has been accused of directly targeting journalists, and the IDF's unwillingness to guarantee their safety has raised concerns about press freedom. The deaths of dozens of reporters have sparked accusations against Israel, with critics pointing to previous incidents of journalists being killed by Israeli fire without accountability.