JournalismPakistan.com | Published April 26, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channelNEW YORK - Saudi authorities should immediately release Jordanian journalist Abdulrahman Farhana as well as the other journalists swept up in their campaign against dissent, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Saudi authorities detained Farhana, a Saudi-based columnist for Jordanian daily al-Sabeel and contributor to the Qatari network Al-Jazeera, on February 20. They have held him since in an unknown location without any charges made public, according to al-Sabeel, Jordanian journalist Hilmi Asmar, who spoke with CPJ, and Farhana's family, who announced the arrest in a statement issued by the Jordanian Press Syndicate and published in the Jordanian newspaper al-Rai on April 23.
Farhana's family members told Asmar that they have not been able to contact Farhana since his arrest.
The journalist's detention comes amid a crackdown in the country that has seen at least eight journalists detained since the beginning of 2019, according to CPJ reporting.
"A country that behaves like Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, throwing journalists in prison without charges or communication, is not worthy of international regard or partnership," CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour said from Washington, D.C. "Saudi authorities must free Abdulrahman Farhana immediately."
Authorities intercepted Farhana as he was driving from his home in Dammam, the capital of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, to Jeddah and made him return to Dammam, where they searched his house and detained him, Asmar said.
Farhana has lived in Saudi Arabia for 42 years and also maintains a home in Amman, Jordan, Asmar told CPJ.
Al-Sabeel lists Farhana as a writer for the newspaper "from outside Jordan" on its website, but CPJ could not locate examples of his articles. Farhana writes about intra-Palestinian politics, regional geopolitics, and Islamist political movements for Al-Jazeera, according to his author page on the network's website.
Al-Sabeel and Al-Jazeera did not immediately respond to emails from CPJ seeking comment.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told the Jordanian Press Syndicate that the Jordanian Embassy in Riyadh was following the matter, according to the syndicate's statement.
The Saudi Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Jordanian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to CPJ's emails requesting comment.
In 2017, amid a diplomatic crisis between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and its allies, Saudi authorities revoked Al-Jazeera's broadcast license and forced the network to close its Saudi office, as CPJ reported at the time.
CPJ's annual prison census found that at least 16 journalists were behind bars in Saudi Arabia as of December 1, 2018. Saudi authorities often detain journalists in unknown locations without charges and deny families the opportunity to contact detainees, and journalists are often held for months before their cases become public, according to CPJ research. – A CPJ News Alert
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.