SINCE last many years media freedom around the world is under assault amidst an increase in attempts to stifle independent media and spiralling attacks on journalists. It is just to control the public narrative and maintain their hold on power by authoritarian means and, in some cases, even democratically elected governments, have been brazenly silencing critical voices and undermining freedom of expression. It is regrettable that since the last few years, press freedom and the safety of journalists have rapidly deteriorated in different parts of the world particularly in Asia, Africa and Latin America. As many democratically elected governments are unwilling to relinquish their stranglehold on power and increasingly through so-called constitutional coups as well as, in some cases, direct or indirect military coups trying to control media and journalists have become targets of such governments and by the regimes’ administrative machinery.
Some fascist governments such as India and Israel shut down the internet and their forces warned journalists that they would be assaulted if they refused to obey orders. Many journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the outbreak of the Israel-imposed war in October 2023. According to a September 2025 UN briefing, it was recorded that Israeli forces have been killed 252 journalists, a figure surpassing the combined totals of both World Wars, the Vietnam War, and the war in Afghanistan. Multiple international watchdogs maintain records of the deaths, highlighting that the vast majority of victims are local Palestinian and Arab countries journalists who face extreme risk due to Israel’s ban on foreign press entering the strip independently.
In the same way, global media and human rights organizations reports a severe deterioration of media freedom in Indian-occupied Kashmir, particularly following the August 2019 revocation of the region’s semi-autonomous status under Article 370. While local Kashmiri reporters and Indian journalists face arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, and strict travel bans, and foreign media workers have also faced severe travel restrictions, visa denials, and deportations as international watchdogs describe as an effort by Indian authorities to tightly control the narrative surrounding the region. A large number of journalists were also imprisoned in 2025, one of the highest numbers in recent years. In many countries, authorities abused national security laws as well as other laws to arrest journalists, activists and critics. Women journalists began speaking out about attacks against them more often, bringing to light the full scope of dangers and professional challenges they routinely encounter.
Therefore, the lack of political will is a primary reason for the lack of response to the high number of violations of press freedom and growing attacks on journalists in different parts of the world. In addition, many governments failed to preventing attacks on journalists and to prosecuting those who are responsible for these attacks. In many countries, governments have used draconian laws to shut down media organizations, and to arrest and harass independent, critical journalists. Moreover, to overcome the challenges, it is necessary to engage in rigorous advocacy at all levels to prevent attack on journalist because without that press freedom cannot prevail and sustain.
—The writer is contributing
columnist, base in Rawalpindi.
