Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)

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Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)

CJFE monitors, defends and promotes free expression and access to information in Canada and around th

CJFE monitors, defends and promotes free expression and access to information in Canada and around the world.

05/07/2026

A court ruling in the case of Tunisian journalist Zied El-Heni is expected this Thursday, May 7.

El-Heni was detained on April 24, 2026, after criticizing a court ruling sentencing fellow journalist Ghassen Ben Khelifa in a social media post, and is now facing charges under laws used to restrict online expression, raising concerns about press freedom and due process.

His daughter has publicly denounced his detention and the conditions of his case.

CJFE is closely following developments.

05/03/2026

The latest 2026 Reporters Without Borders paints a troubling global picture. For the first time in the Index’s history, more than half of the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom.

The report points to rising censorship, surveillance, political hostility, violence against journalists, and the growing criminalisation of journalism worldwide.

Canada ranked 21st this year, while the United States dropped seven places to 64th.

Today is World Press Freedom Day, a reminder that a free and independent press is essential to democracy and the public’s right to know.

Press freedom is not just about journalists. It is about protecting the public’s right to access information, question power, and participate in an informed society.

05/01/2026

New joint statement from and on the recent changes to Ontario’s freedom of information laws.

Access to information is essential for accountability, transparency, and the public’s right to know.

CJFE and CAJ are reviewing options to challenge the legality of the Ontario government’s actions.

Read the full statement at the link in bio.

04/07/2026

After nearly a decade of legal battles, the Philippine Supreme Court has officially closed the case against Rappler, an independent digital newsroom known for its investigative reporting and for holding power to account.

What started in 2018 as a shutdown order has ended in a decisive victory, not just for Rappler and its co-founder and CEO Maria Ressa, but for press freedom in the Philippines.

This case became a measure of how far power can go to challenge the press, and how firmly it can be resisted. It’s a reminder that attempts to silence the press don’t just target one newsroom, they test the strength of democracy itself.

03/30/2026

Three journalists were killed over the weekend in southern Lebanon while covering the war.

Ali Shoeib, Fatima Ftouni and cameraman Mohammad Ftouni, from the media outlets Al-Manar and Al-Mayadeen.

They were traveling together near Jezzine when their car was struck.

The Israeli military said it targeted Shoeib, alleging ties to Hezbollah without providing evidence.
Lebanese officials and rights groups have condemned the strike, raising concerns about the targeting of journalists.

Lebanon’s president called it a “blatant crime” and the government plans to take the case to the U.N. Security Council.

Their deaths highlight the dangers faced by those reporting from the frontlines.

03/12/2026

CJFE condemns the public intimidation of journalist Rachel Gilmore .gilmore following her reporting on white nationalist activity in a Montreal gym.

Threatening, surveilling, or harassing journalists for reporting in the public interest is an attack on press freedom, on democracy, and on the public’s right to know. CJFE stands in solidarity with Gilmore and calls on authorities to act.

02/20/2026

CJFE is proud to co-sponsor the panel “Can American Media Survive Trump and Billionaire Owners?”, organized by the Centre for Free Expression at TMU .tmu

From upheaval at major newsrooms to mounting legal pressure and growing corporate control, questions about who shapes the media and what that means for democracy are becoming harder to ignore.

Join the conversation on March 19, 2026 at 7 pm EST.

Featuring:
Joe Davidson, former Washington Post columnist
Margaret Sullivan, U.S. columnist at The Guardian
Max Tani, media reporter at Semafor

Moderated by Julian Sher, Senior Fellow, Centre for Free Expression.

Register via the link in bio.

02/06/2026

Disinformation does not spread because people are careless. It spreads because it plays on fear, outrage, and urgency and the faster we react, the easier it moves.

The good news is we can all push back with small habits that slow the cycle down.

Swipe through for practical ways to fight disinformation and stop it from spreading.

01/31/2026

Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort have been detained following a church protest in Minnesota, alongside activists Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy. The protest, held on January 18 at Cities Church in St. Paul, saw demonstrators disrupt a service to challenge federal immigration enforcement. Lemon and Fort were reporting on the event, documenting the scene, and interviewing participants.

These arrests come amid rising tension in the United States and reflect a concerning pattern in which covering protests and government accountability is increasingly treated as risky work. Targeting journalists for observing and reporting on events risks chilling coverage and discouraging public scrutiny. Independent reporting is not activism, and it should never be treated as a crime.

MediaFreedom

01/13/2026

The trial began this week for photojournalist Amber Bracken and news outlet The Narwhal, who are suing the RCMP over Bracken’s 2021 arrest in British Columbia while reporting on Wet’suwet’en opposition to the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

During an RCMP raid on the camp, Bracken was detained while doing her job as a journalist. Her cameras were seized, and she was held in custody despite clearly identifying herself as media.

Now before the courts, the case raises urgent questions about press freedom in Canada and whether journalists can report freely on Indigenous land defence and police enforcement without fear of arrest or interference.

12/23/2025

2025 was one of the deadliest years on record for journalists. Around the world, reporters were killed, imprisoned, forced into hiding, or driven into exile simply for doing their jobs.

In the face of these escalating threats, CJFE continued its commitment to defending press freedom and supporting journalists at risk. Over the past year, CJFE spoke out on key cases, worked alongside partners, and helped keep attention on attacks against independent journalism, recognizing that visibility and solidarity matter.

Through the Journalists in Distress Fund, CJFE provided emergency assistance to journalists facing threats, detention, or displacement because of their work.

These are dark times for journalism and for the public’s right to know. CJFE’s work is only possible through community support. If you believe in a free and independent press, consider donating or learning how to support CJFE’s efforts. Every contribution helps sustain this work and support journalists under threat.

Learn more at cjfe.org

Address

37 Front Street E #200
Toronto, ON
M5E1B3

Telephone

+14169231771

Website

http://www.cjfe.org/

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