What is happening to press freedom?
Last year; 124 journalists were killed - the highest number ever recorded. Many of those deaths occurred during Israel’s genocide in Gaza, where journalists have been targeted at an unprecedented scale.
Journalists are often the first to be targeted, because they are the first to warn us when freedoms are under threat. Once their voices are silenced, the path is cleared to go after protestors - without oversight, without exposure, without consequence.
We cannot remain silent. By doing nothing, we are complicit. Defend press freedom, before it’s too late.
How can you get involved?
We stand with the courageous individuals who risk everything to uncover the truth. We investigate human rights abuses, campaign against repressive laws, and challenge attacks on free expression wherever they occur. But we can’t do this without your support.
Add your voice to stand with those risking everything to uncover the truth. Together we can ensure that press freedom is upheld, that journalists can work without fear of persecution or oppression, and that the powerful are held accountable.
Donate to help fund urgent campaigns, support the release of imprisoned journalists, and protect freedom of expression across the world. Every contribution helps us challenge authoritarian crackdowns, support campaigns to free detained journalists, and fund vital research to protect free expression.
How is this issue reflected in our work?
Globally, journalists are being silenced through violence, imprisonment and censorship. From Hong Kong to Northern Ireland, from occupied Palestinian territory to the fight for climate justice, the struggle for press freedom is interconnected.
Our Right To Protest In The UK
“The threat to freedom of expression is not just a global issue. It’s happening, right now, here in the UK.”
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In recent years, the UK government has passed anti-protest laws to clamp down on everyone’s ability to peacefully protest in England and Wales. Now, the current government is trying to pass even more anti-protest laws. People have been arrested for slow walking, carrying banners, or simply being present at a demonstration.
Meanwhile, journalists covering protests have faced harassment, arrest, and restrictions on their ability to report. Filming police conduct has become riskier.
We are seeing a pattern of suppression to silence scrutiny, limit resistance, and shield those in power from accountability.
We cannot remain silent.
Northern Ireland
"I’ve got bulletproof windows... I’ve got cameras all around the house. I’ve got sensor activated lights and panic alarms."
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Our latest research shows that journalists in Northern Ireland are living behind bulletproof windows because paramilitary groups want to silence them. Despite rising threats, there have been zero prosecutions in these cases.
Press freedom is under attack in the UK. Since 2019 we have documented over 70 death threats, bomb threats and acts of violence towards journalists in Northern Ireland. Most threats came from armed paramilitary gangs. Not one has been prosecuted to date.
Join our call for stronger protections for journalists in Northern Ireland and demand accountability for those responsible for harassment and violence.
Hong Kong
“The government treated uncooperative journalists as enemies. Those who didn’t show obedience or didn’t support the government were labelled as uncooperative journalists.”
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In 2019, Hong Kong boasted a vibrant, independent press, a vital force for exposing corruption and holding the powerful to account.. Now, the situation has changed after a state-led crackdown.
Journalists like Jimmy Lai, the founder of Apple Daily, were at the forefront of this free press. Lai has been imprisoned, other journalists have been forced into exile, and Hong Kong’s media landscape has been irreversibly silenced under oppressive laws designed to stifle free expression.
We must continue to fight for the release of those who are imprisoned, and demand that the UK the UK government protects exiled Hong Kongers activists in the UK.
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
"The Palestinian woman talked about the demolitions in her village and her fears that the bulldozers could destroy her home next" and she said "Your cameras are our weapons."
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In the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), journalists are facing increasing dangers as they report on human rights violations and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
They have been killed when an Israeli missile hit their home, or when clearly marked as press. International media are also being denied access to Gaza, preventing independent reporting from reaching global audiences.
This blackout is a systematic effort to suppress scrutiny, obstruct evidence of human rights abuses, and erase Palestinian voices and experiences.
We stand with journalists in Gaza, and everywhere press freedom is under attack, to defend the right to report and the right to know.
Climate Justice
“Climate justice means fighting for those hit hardest by the climate crisis.” However, journalists covering peaceful climate protests have been arrested, detained, and searched.
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The climate crisis is affecting communities worldwide and in the UK — through extreme weather, rising energy inequality, and governments slow to act.
Meanwhile, fossil fuel companies like Shell spend millions on advertising and PR, rebranding themselves as climate-friendly, while causing widespread environmental destruction
Journalists and activists have been crucial in documenting the abuse cases against Shell and keeping stories alive, such as those by Ogale and Bille communities in the Niger Delta, where Dutch courts ruled that Shell is liable for oil spills.
We must continue to support communities in their legal fight for justice, and support journalists who are crucial in exposing greenwashing and tracking environmental harm.
Individuals At Risk
“The UAE has been sportswashing its global reputation through Manchester City while at the same time jailing Ahmed Mansoor and others simply for their peaceful human rights activism.”
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Ahmed Mansoor, a poet and blogger, was one of the few voices able to speak out about the UAE’s poor human rights record from within the country, until he was arrested for doing just that. He has been locked in an isolation cell ever since.
Freedom of expression is a human right. Ahmed should not spend a day longer behind bars. Ask the UAE Ambassador to help secure his immediate release.
Amnesty Media Awards 2025
The Amnesty International Media Awards celebrated excellence in human rights journalism and applauded the courage and determination of journalists and editors who put their lives on the line to tell important human rights stories. The prestigious set of awards recognised the vital role journalists play and the serious risks they face in highlighting human rights abuses around the world.
The event which took place on Wednesday 4 June was hosted by Jolyon Rubinstein with a special performance from Emeli Sandé. It is now available for rewatching below.
