New York, July 28, 2015--An Egyptian court is scheduled to issue a verdict on Thursday in the retrial of Al-Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, Baher Mohamed, and Peter Greste, according to news reports. Greste is being tried in absentia. A court in February ordered the retrial because of lack of evidence leading to the journalists' conviction of "conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood," which the government has banned, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the charges and calls on Egyptian authorities to stop legally harassing journalists.

Washington, July 24, 2015--Egyptian authorities on Tuesday arrested the head of a journalists syndicate and accused him of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest and calls on the Egyptian government to release Aboubakr Khallaf immediately.

The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined 161 organizations, writers, journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, and politicians in calling on the king of Morocco to stop the administrative harassment of Ali Lmrabet. The satirical journalist has been on hunger strike outside the U.N.'s Geneva offices since June 24, according to news reports.

New York, July 23, 2015--Tunisian authorities should drop charges against an editor accused of complicity in the June 27 terrorist attack on Sousse beach that killed at least 39 people, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Nour Edine Mbarki was charged in connection with publishing a photograph of a car that purportedly transported the gunman. The case comes as journalists face heightened legal threats and restrictions in the country.

By Joel Simon/CPJ Executive Director

One of the most important protections that journalists operating in a conflict zone are afforded is their status as civilians. This means they cannot be deliberately targeted, and cannot be taken prisoner by the warring factions. Under the Geneva Conventions journalists are only entitled to this protection "provided that they take no action adversely affecting their status as civilians." This is why anything that muddies the waters could increase the risk to journalists.

Beirut, July 21, 2015--At least four international journalists have been reported missing in northern Syria in two separate incidents in the past month, in the latest indication of the profound dangers of reporting from inside the war-torn country.

Dear Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani: On the one-year anniversary of the arrest of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, members of the Committee to Protect Journalists' board of directors today sent a letter urging the head of the Iranian judiciary, Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, to intervene in the case of jailed Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian.

New York, July 16, 2015--Egyptian security forces have arrested Yahya Khalaf, the director of the privately owned Yaqeen news network, and are holding him under investigation for alleged crimes linked to terrorism, according to the network, a government statement, and news reports.

By Nadia Massih/CPJ Middle East Correspondent

The militant group Islamic State may be trying to push Syria back into the dark ages, but it is fighting a very modern war. From slick propaganda videos to online surveillance and wide restrictions on Internet use, the Islamic State is trying to control media output and stamp down on dissent.

New York, July 9, 2015--A Jordanian journalist has been given 15 days in jail after being accused of breaking a recent ban on coverage of a terror plot, according to the journalist's employer and other news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the imprisonment and calls on authorities to release Ghazi Mrayat immediately.