Press Freedom Status for Women Journalists: December 2023
December Most Deadly Month For Palestinian Women Journalists
Nationwide referendum in Venezuela results in highest violations worldwide
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This month, our report records a distressing total of 76 violations against women journalists. Among these, the most heart-wrenching are the killings, with six recorded deaths. A significant and deeply concerning aspect of these figures is the continued targeting of Palestinian journalists. In December alone, six Palestinian women journalists were killed in Gaza under harrowing circumstances, including Shima el-Gazzar, Ola Atallah, Dua al-Cebbur, Nermin Qawwas, Hanan Ayyad, and Haneen Ali al-Qutshan, whose deaths not only represent a profound personal loss but also a devastating blow to press freedom and the right to information in the region. Israel killed at least four women journalists in November and three in October.
Aside from these fatal incidents, the report details various other forms of violations, ranging from imprisonment and legal harassment to denial of access and online harassment. The highest number of violations occurred in Venezuela, Palestine/Gaza, Australia, and Montenegro, with denial of access and threats/intimidation being the most prevalent.
Venezuela topped the list this month due to widespread violations of press freedom during the consultative referendum on Essequibo held on December 3, 2023. A total of 16 women journalists faced obstructions while covering the event. The Plan República, a security force responsible for maintaining order during elections, was involved in numerous incidents where they violated press freedom and information guarantees for journalists and media outlets.
While we documented instances of accountability, these are overshadowed by the overwhelming number of violations. The continued violence against Palestinian journalists is particularly alarming and underscores the urgent need for international attention and action to protect these journalists, who are the only ones able to report from within Gaza.
Violations
6 journalists killed
Gaza
Israel killed:
Shima el-Gazzar, a journalist for the Al-Majedat network, on December 3, alongside her family members, in an airstrike on Rafah in southern Gaza.
Ola Atallah, in an airstrike targeting the place where she and her family were displaced in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, east of Gaza City, on December 9.
Dua al-Cebbur, along with her husband and children, in an airstrike on the city of Khan Younis.
Nermin Qawwas, who worked with Russia Today, in an airstrike on December 13. According to reports by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Qawwas lost her life when a bomb struck her home.
Hanan Ayyad, her husband, and two children, by a shell that hit the area of the Old City of Gaza.
Haneen Ali al-Qutshan on Sunday, December 17, during an airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp. An unknown number of her family members also perished in the attack.
A journalist imprisoned
Turkiye
Veteran journalist Nazlı Ilıcak was sent to prison after her appeal against a contentious conviction was dismissed. The Istanbul 15th Criminal Court of First Instance had originally sentenced the 79-year-old to two years and six months in prison for an article she penned in 2016 on the now-shuttered website Özgür Gündem.
2 journalists sentenced
Kazakhstan
The Specialized Inter-District Criminal Court in Almaty handed down an eight-year sentence to Nargiz Severnya and a seven-year sentence to Vladimir Severny on December 4, 2023 — whose imprisonments are planned to commence in 2028. The charges stem from accusations of blackmailing two business owners to suppress negative stories about their companies. The Severnys, rejecting any wrongdoing, plan to appeal the verdict.
Iran
On December 20, Sara Massoumi, editor-in-chief of Iranian Diplomacy news site, was sentenced to six months in prison and given a two-year media ban for a social media post criticizing the government's response to the death of a teenage girl. It is unclear when her prison sentence will start.
A journalist missing
Belarus
On December 7, 2023, Belarusian authorities arrested former employees of Ranak TV following a spate of detentions in June. The whereabouts of a third journalist, Alena Shcherbin, a former director at Ranak TV, remain unknown.
5 journalists arrested
Belarus
On December 7, 2023, Belarusian authorities arrested two former employees of Ranak TV in Svetlahorsk. Yulia Dauletava, the former editor-in-chief, and reporter Liudmila Andzenka were taken into custody and are currently held in connection with a criminal case under Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code related to "assistance to extremist activity."
Mongolia
Naran Unurtsetseg, the editor-in-chief of the Mongolian news website Zarig.mn, was arrested on December 4 on charges of contempt of court and spreading false information under Article 13.14 of the Criminal Code of Mongolia after posting on her personal Facebook account about the inhumanity of a prolonging court hearing involving an elderly individual in Mongolia.
Russia
On December 25, 2023, Nika Novak was taken into custody and charged with "collaborating on a confidential basis with a foreign state" by Russian authorities in Moscow. She will remain in detention until February 24, 2024.
United States
Freelance journalist Roni Jacobson was reporting on a pro-Palestinian protest near Times Square in New York on December 31, 2023, when she was arrested by the NYPD. She was held overnight at the Midtown South Precinct and faced charges of obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct. Charges against her were later dropped.
4 journalists detained
Mongolia
On December 8, Naran Unurtsetseg's lawyers attended a hearing and appealed to the court for the journalist’s release due to unjustified detention. They also raised concerns that some legal provisions may have been violated during the investigation and that the case's investigation was deliberately accelerated.
Turkiye
JIN News reporter Elfazi Toral and Democratic Modernity journalist Sema Korkmaz were beaten and detained by police after reporting on a press conference in Istanbul.
Pakistan
Somiayah Hafeez, a Pakistani journalist, was unjustly detained by police in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad late at night on December 20 while reporting on a long march by Baloch protestors. She was later released.
4 journalists physically assaulted
Ukraine
On the afternoon of December 22, photographer Vlada Liberova was wounded in Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces allegedly targeted the vehicle in which she was traveling, injuring her leg.
On the evening of December 30, the Kharkiv Palace Hotel, situated in the heart of Kharkiv, was hit by a missile strike from Russia. Producer for German channel ZDF Svitlana Dolbysheva sustained multiple injuries.
Paraguay
On December 11, 2023, Senator Carlos Núñez physically assaulted journalist Rocío Pereira Da Costa when asked about his possible involvement in crimes related to Operation Dakovo, an international operation that exposed an arms trafficking network linked to Paraguayan politicians and military figures.
Kosovo
On December 28, 2023, journalist Blerta Dalloshi Berisha from TV Klan was forcefully prevented from reporting by the security team of Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The assault occurred as she attempted to pose a question to the country’s top politician.
A journalist raped
France
On December 19, Ruth Baza, a Spanish journalist and author came forward with allegations of rape against Gérard Depardieu. Baza has accused the French film star of raping her nearly 30 years ago.
12 journalists threatened or intimidated
France
Ruth Elkrief, a prominent French Jewish columnist with TV broadcaster LCI, is currently facing heightened security concerns after threats and has been placed under police protection. The threats stem from comments made by far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon following an interview conducted by Elkrief with Manuel Bompard, a lawmaker from Mélenchon's France Unbowed (LFI) party on December 3, 2023.
Colombia
During a soccer match on December 3, supporters of Atlético Nacional targeted six reporters, including Maria Camila Vergara from Teleantioquia and Sheyla Garcia from Win Sports, with verbal and physical assaults, harassment, and destruction of their equipment.
Canada
On December 10, 2023, Brandi Morin and her colleagues, embedded with activists, were confronted by security personnel at the TMX pipeline near Pipsell (Jacko Lake) in British Columbia. Despite identifying themselves as journalists and invoking case law safeguarding their right to report on matters of public interest, they were unjustly threatened with arrest. The incident occurred as the journalists covered a protest against the TMX pipeline expansion in Secwepemc's sacred territory.
Paraguay
On December 12, Fiona Aquino of ABC TV shared that Senator Norma Aquino threatened her with legal action for publishing a list of legislators who approved a controversial law. Senator Norma Aquino participated in the legislative process, initially providing a quorum for the vote, but later attempted to distance herself from the outcome.
Montenegro
On December 14, Danica Nikolić, the chief editor of M portal, disclosed that she is once again facing serious threats, this time including reprehensible rape threats. Her journalist colleagues Tamara Nikčević, Bojana Dabović, Mirka Dević, and Slavica Kruščić Vasović have also been targeted, presenting a distressing pattern of intimidation.
Pakistan
Fatima Razzak, a reporter for the digital platform Lok Sujag, was subjected to harassment and intimidation while she was returning home after covering the ongoing Baloch women's protest in Islamabad on December 24.
Serbia
On December 15, Isidora Kovačević revealed she faces a relentless campaign of intimidation against her, including a disturbing incident involving "Wanted" posters. She attributes the harassment to the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and criticizes the lack of action from the police and prosecutor's office.
On December 22, Žaklina Tatalović and her TV N1 team were persistently followed by an unidentified person on a motorcycle with Belgrade license plates, while they were covering ongoing demonstrations against alleged fraudulent general elections.
During the ongoing protests, a live broadcast team from Al Jazeera experienced an unprovoked attack by police officials. Among these reporters was Jelena Glušac, a reporter for Al Jazeera, who also witnessed a police officer forcefully restrained a cameraman, preventing him from documenting the arrest of protesters on December 24.
A journalist targeted with a racist attack
France
On December 5, Salhia Brakhlia, presenter with Franceinfo, shared a screenshot on Twitter, exposing a message with overtly racist undertones that she received following her on-air debate with far-right politician Marion Maréchal.
A journalist’s car attacked
Slovenia
Attacks on well-known journalist Eugenija Carl — who has faced years of harassment after a former Prime Minister called her and another journalist “prostitutes” — intensified with multiple car vandalization incidents on December 12.
3 journalists discredited
Australia
On December 20, following malicious media attacks by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp media outlets since signing a letter in support of ethical reporting of conflict in Gaza. Three journalists have faced targeted accusations and smear campaigns from Murdoch’s media, including Patricia Karvelas, Lauren Dubois, and Jan Fran. All reported negative impacts on their abilities to do their jobs.
A journalist’s award revoked
France
On December 12, France stirred a new controversy after revoking the Simone Veil award from French-Moroccan journalist Zineb El Rhazoui due to her pro-Palestine position.
6 journalists legally harassed
Russia
The latest charges against Maria Ponomarenko, officially filed on December 8, 2023, accuse her of using violence against staff within the detention facility. If convicted, Ponomarenko could face an additional sentence of up to five years on top of her six-year term.
On December 12, Russian authorities opened a new criminal investigation into detained journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. The RFE/RL editor is facing new accusations of disseminating "fake" news about Russia's armed forces. If convicted, she could serve up to 15 years behind bars.
Turkiye
On December 12, 2023, the 5th High Criminal Court in Diyarbakır extended Dicle Müftüoğlu's detention postponing her trial until January 18, 2024.
India
On December 23, police charged journalist Vineetha VG with "criminal conspiracy" in Kerala, India. VG, a respected journalist with 24 News, was covering a state government outreach program on December 10 when the alleged incident involving student protestors occurred.
Paraguay
On December 7, a Paraguayan judge ordered a restraining order against Mabel Portillo, a journalist from Guairá Press. The order bars Portillo from coming near Yataity's Municipal Mayor, Gloria Duarte, among other harsh restrictions.
Romania
For close to two weeks, renowned investigative journalist Emilia Şercan has been protesting in front of the General Prosecutor's Office and the Prosecutor's Office of the Bucharest Court of Appeal. She is protesting against the court's decision to close the case regarding the threats and intimidation she faced while carrying out her journalistic duties.
14 journalists arbitrarily denied access
Venezuela
During the consultative referendum rewrite on Essequibo, held on December 3, several instances of press freedom violations and breaches of information guarantees for journalists and media organizations were observed. 13 women journalists were affected. These incidents involved officials from Plan República and the National Electoral Council (CNE).
United States
On December 4, 2023, a lawsuit was filed by publishers of Delaware paper The Reporter, Kim and Randy Shepard, claiming that the County attorney issued a gag order prohibiting county employees from speaking to the newspaper. This directive is considered a violation of the County employees' First Amendment rights to speak on matters of public concern and The Reporter's First Amendment rights to receive newsworthy information from willing speakers.
2 journalists blocked from accessing information
Bolivia
On December 14, 2023, journalists Miriam Peñafiel and Carmen Challapa revealed they were abruptly ousted from two law enforcement press group chats eight months ago. Despite pleas for reinstatement, access has not been restored.
United States
Sarah "Eli" Nachimson, a student journalist at the University of California, Los Angeles' Daily Bruin, was fired on December 4 for speaking at a rally supporting a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
6 journalists lost their jobs
Romania
On December 6, journalists Iulia Roșu, Camelia Stan, and Cătălin Tolontan were fired from their editorial positions at the leading Romanian newspaper Libertatea. The outlet’s owner, Ringier, also announced that 20% of the paper's journalists would lose their jobs.
Iran
On December 14, Elnaz Mohammadi revealed through an Instagram post that she was forced to resign from her position at Hammihan newspaper.
Australia
On December 20, following malicious media attacks by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp media outlets since signing a letter in support of ethical reporting of conflict in Gaza, Antoinette Lattouf was fired from ABC, and Nova Podcasts axed Clementine Ford’s award-winning podcast.
Peru
Juliana Oxenford was unjustly dismissed from ATV network in Peru on December 1. Her dismissal appears motivated by political pressure and influence from far-right businessmen.
A journalist targeted with deepfake
Peru
On December 19, Golperú journalist Nair Aliaga revealed that an AI-manipulated photograph depicting her without clothing was shared online.
A journalist targeted by online trolls
Mexico
Online trolls target journalist Reyna Haydee Ramírez after she questions President López Obrador about police inaction to violence during a press conference on December 13. In response, the President dismissed the information as "inventions" and made insulting remarks against the Mexican press, characterizing it as "servile journalism" linked to economic power, corruption, and crime.
Journalists face attack in Latvia
A grenade attack at a popular bar frequented by Russian exiles, including journalists from the BBC Russian service, raises concerns about the safety of independent journalists in exile. The incident, which occurred on December 24 at the Čē bar in downtown Riga, involved an RGD-5 training grenade. Two suspects have been detained.
Newsroom faces ongoing legal harassment
United States
On December 9, the Kansas Commission on Judicial Conduct dismissed a complaint against magistrate Laura Viar for her involvement in issuing a search warrant that authorized the police raid at the Marion County Record.
Accountability
An arrest of a perpetrator
Kenya
On December 3, a police officer in Turkana Central was apprehended in connection with the assault of Capital FM journalist Angela Muiruri in 2020. Muiruri, a former Miss Kenya-USA pageant winner and a prominent radio presenter, was among 21 women assaulted during a security operation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Court wins for two journalists
Philippines
Maria Ressa was cleared of a criminal case on Tuesday, December 12, by the Philippine Justice Department. The renowned journalist, who has been unjustly targeted with multiple charges in the last five years, was accused of allegedly having foreign ownership of her news website Rappler.
Australia
In a December 18 ruling, a judge determined that 9News investigative journalist Charlotte Grieve will not be required to reveal the identities of 13 confidential sources she spoke to for a story criticizing renowned orthopedic surgeon Munjed Al Muderis. The judge found that the journalist was entitled to journalist privilege, protecting her from having to disclose her sources. The remaining portion of the defamation trial is scheduled to be heard in March.
If you would like to request more insight into our findings, or would like to suggest an addition to our work reach out to us at info@womeninjournalism.org. For media inquiries reach out to us at press@womeninjournalism.org.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.