The Most Urgent Threats to Press Freedom in 2026

Coinciding with World Press Freedom Day (May 3rd), global media outlets unite as One Free Press Coalition to publish this annual “10 Most Urgent” list, bringing attention to fellow journalists who are being threatened for seeking to tell the truth. These 10 cases focus on journalists who are targeted for “terrorism” or “anti-state” charges.According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the majority of imprisoned journalists—61% of those jailed worldwide—are being held on “anti-state” charges, which include accusations of terrorism or accepting funds from a foreign government. The list is compiled in collaboration with CPJ, International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). According to CPJ data, 330 journalists are currently behind bars worldwide because of their work. The One Free Press Coalition crucially and emphatically unites our collective voices in support of the following individuals and their urgent cases of press persecution.Reza Valizadeh. Courtesy of the Valizadeh familyReza Valizadeh—IranAfter 16 years working as a journalist in the U.S., Iranian-American Reza Valizadeh returned to Iran in February 2024 to care for his aging parents. He claimed to have attempted to negotiate assurances from Iranian authorities for his safe return, but was repeatedly summoned and interrogated for cooperating with