Asia Media Watch

 Published 5 months ago:  Press freedom groups urged President Marcos to drop terror charges and free journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, detained six years amid claims the accusations are politically motivated.

 Published 5 months ago:  Press freedom groups urge Azerbaijan to free detained women journalists, probe allegations of mistreatment in custody, and guarantee fair trials.

 Published 5 months ago:  Governments in South and Southeast Asia are expanding digital rules and surveillance that restrict journalists, reshape newsrooms, and increase legal risks.

 Published 5 months ago:  The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Pakistan to immediately release reporter Sohrab Barkat, criticizing the use of cybercrime laws to silence his reporting.

 Published 5 months ago:  Article 19 warns that Bangladesh's interim government rushed ordinances to create media and broadcasting commissions could weaken press freedom and leave freelancers unprotected.

 Published 5 months ago:  Chinese authorities detained journalists Liu Hu and Wu Yingjiao in Chengdu after a WeChat expose alleging local official corruption was posted and censored.

 Published 5 months ago:  Indonesia warns AI is reshaping journalism, changing how audiences find news and creating ethical and economic pressures on newsrooms, forcing media to adapt.

 Published 5 months ago:  A Dhaka policy dialogue urged stronger media self-regulation through clear editorial codes and ownership transparency to protect press freedom and restore trust.

 Published 5 months ago:  Myat Thu Kyaw was reportedly assaulted in Yangon's Insein Prison while jailed for covering protests, prompting urgent calls from advocates for his release.

 Published 5 months ago:  Afghanistan's Taliban-run Ministry of Information and Culture has revoked licences of most media support organizations, leaving only three groups permitted to operate.

 Published 5 months ago:  Tributes pour in for Sir Mark Tully, the veteran BBC journalist and author who shaped global understanding of South Asia through years of radio reporting.

 Published 5 months ago:  Andhra Pradesh set up a ministerial group to examine social media limits to curb misinformation and protect users under 16, studying international approaches.

 Published 6 months ago:  A January 22 report warns that legal and administrative measures in 2025 fostered intimidation and suppression of journalists in Bangladesh before elections.

 Published 6 months ago:  Media groups on Negros Island condemn the arrest of reporter Erwin Ambo Delilan, calling it an attack on press freedom and a threat to local journalism.

 Published 6 months ago:  Philippine court convicted journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio of terror financing, a verdict rights groups say is politically motivated and threatens press freedom.

 Published 6 months ago:  Frenchie Mae Cumpio's nearly six-year detention without conviction is testing press freedom and due process in the Philippines and has drawn global scrutiny.

 Published 6 months ago:  Police in Indian-administered Kashmir asked at least three journalists to sign pledges not to 'disturb peace' after reporting on mosque funding inquiries.

 Published 6 months ago:  A study finds Bangladeshi journalists expect heightened physical and digital threats ahead of the 2026 elections, citing safety gaps and weak newsroom support.

 Published 6 months ago:  A Jakarta Post report found 89 incidents in 2025 of violence, digital harassment and censorship against Indonesian journalists, raising alarm over press freedom.

 Published 6 months ago:  Leaders at Bangladesh's Media Convention warned that rising threats such as mob violence and pressure on journalists endanger press freedom and democratic norms.

 Published 6 months ago:  CPJ urged Vietnam to free jailed journalists and ease media repression before the Communist Party congress, warning Article 117 arrests breach free expression.

 Published 6 months ago:  Asia Journalist Association urges Iran to stop using force, protect reporters covering protests, and respect press freedom and the public's right to information.

 Published 6 months ago:  Press clubs across Asia are altering operations as political pressure, legal limits and safety concerns constrain journalists' meetings and collaboration.

 Published 6 months ago:  An in-depth report documents the Taliban's suppression of Afghan women journalists through bans, closures and gendered harassment that silence their reporting.

 Published 6 months ago:  Editors Guild of India urged India and Pakistan to lift news website bans, warning such digital restrictions damage democratic debate and public trust in journalism.

 Published 6 months ago:  A Hong Kong court nears sentencing in the national security case against Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily executives, a trial closely monitored by media advocates.

 Published 6 months ago:  Monitors report a sharp decline in press freedom in Hong Kong, pointing to national security laws, arrests, media closures and legal pressure on journalists.

 Published 6 months ago:  Study finds climate reporters in Asia face higher physical threats than in Europe or the Americas, linked to contested extractive and land-use projects.