Al Jazeera Journalism Review

A supporter of Julian Assange displays a placard, outside the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, UK, on April 20, 2022. Assange is regularly held up as the poster boy for the injustice suffered by journalists imprisoned for doing their jobs, but he is far from the best example [Tom Nicholson/Reuters]

Julian Assange is no hero among journalists

A record number of journalists are languishing in prisons around the world, yet Assange is constantly held up as a poster boy for this type of injustice. There are far more deserving candidates

 

There is a good reason that investigative journalists work according to an ethical code of practice - there is often a great deal at stake when they are working to uncover social injustices and scandals.

One of the rules is that you always verify the information and source of any leak that you receive. This is certainly how Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit operates. It is essential when it comes to protecting sources, ensuring you are not unwittingly reproducing propaganda for one side of a conflict and for ensuring that you are not putting your own or other people’s lives in danger.

But Julian Assange openly eschews a major part of this code. In an interview with the UK TV station, Channel 4, Assange once said: “Other journalists try to verify sources. We don't do that, we verify documents. We don't care where it came from." Indeed, Assange explained in that interview, the system used to collect data leaks by Wikileaks prevents even Wikileaks knowing the identity of a source.

In Assange’s own estimation, therefore, Wikileaks, is not a bona fide investigative journalistic outlet. In fact, it is little more than a data-dump platform where few checks, if any, are carried out on the information revealed there. It is, at best, a cavalier approach to journalism.

In 2016, Wikileaks published links to databases containing sensitive information about millions of Turkish citizens. It was a consequence of the posting online of nearly 300,000 emails from the country’s ruling party. Now, while Wikileaks may have had good grounds to shine a light on the activities of politicians in Turkey, what it ended up doing was endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable women.

Within these databases were the addresses, telephone numbers and in some cases the Turkish citizenship IDs, of millions of people. This potentially put millions of Turkish women at risk of harm from stalkers and violent ex-partners from whom these women’s details had often been kept secret - also for very good reason, given that hundreds of women are murdered in Turkey each year, often by domestic partners.

This is why, while I strongly disagree with punishing journalists for publicising secrets which are being kept for harmful reasons (most secrets, probably), I bristle at the sheer lionising of Julian Assange that we see on an almost daily basis in many parts of the media.

The issue of journalists being arrested and jailed for doing their jobs has reached a critical point. Last month, Reporters Without Borders published its annual census of imprisoned journalists and revealed that the number for 2022 - 533 - has reached a new record (it was 488 in 2021).

The vast majority of these have been arrested merely for doing their jobs - perhaps not as sensational as publishing a cache of American state secrets, which Wikileaks did relating to US actions in Afghanistan.

More than half are jailed in just five countries: China, which remains “the world’s biggest jailer of journalists” with 110, followed by Myanmar (62), Iran (47), Vietnam (39) and Belarus (31).

Among the 47 journalists currently in prison in Iran, 34 were arrested after protests broke out in September over the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for breaching the country’s strict dress code.

Reporters Without Borders awarded its Prize for Courage to the Iranian journalist, Narges Mohammadi, who has been imprisoned many times over the past decade.

Many journalists are imprisoned in Europe as well - mostly in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. Assange is the only one listed for the UK.

So, let’s take a moment to remember a few of the real journalists we don’t hear so much about who are in prison for actually doing journalism.

  • Htet Htet Khine was sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour in Myanmar for the second time in September last year. She was working as a freelance reporter for BBC Media Action and was accused of contacting “illegal organisations”.
  • Maria Ponomarenko, a Russian journalist from Siberia, was detained in April 2022, accused of “discrediting the Russian armed forces” with “fake” social media posts. She is reported to have attempted suicide in prison.
  • Fahad Shah is an Indian Kashmiri journalist and founder of the popular weekly political news site, Kashmir Walla. He was arrested last January and charged with sedition, public mischief and unlawful activities for doing his job. He is still in prison.
  • Zhang Zhan is a Chinese journalist and former lawyer, who was arrested and sentenced to four years in prison for reporting on the impact of lockdown measures in Wuhan in February 2020.
  • Sidheeq Kappan, a journalist from Kerala, India, was imprisoned in October 2020. He was arrested while reporting on the story of a 19-year-old Dalit woman who died after being gang-raped.
  • Aasif Sultan, an Indian Kashmiri journalist, is still in prison after being jailed in August 2018 under anti-terror laws. His family and editor at the Kashmir Narrator say he was merely carrying out his work as a journalist when he was detained.
  • Vida Rabbani, a freelance journalist and political commentator, was arrested in September 2022 and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison in Iran. She had been reporting on the protests in the country following the death of Mahsa Amini.
  • Yahor Martsinovich, who was chief editor of Belarus independent news website Nasha Niva, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in Belarus. Authorities accused him of not paying the correct rate for electricity supplied to his office, but it is widely known that the government had targeted Nasha Niva in a crackdown on the media.

There are many, many more who have been imprisoned for doing their jobs as journalists around the world - far too many, sadly, to be listed here. These men and women were arrested for investigating and reporting on the ground in difficult and dangerous environments, not just for publishing leaked documents from behind a desk without even bothering to implement proper, stringent checks on the sources.

I would rather see any one of them held up as the face of bravery among journalists who continue their work regardless of the dangers they face.

Nina Montagu-Smith is Editor of Al Jazeera Journalism Review

 

 

More Articles

Philippine Activists Fight Archive Erasure and Revive Dictatorship-Era Memories

In the Philippines, archivists fight to preserve evidence of the country’s bloodied past, in hope that it will provide lessons for the future.

Tristan James Biglete
Tristan James Biglete Published on: 27 May, 2025
News Fatigue and Avoidance: How Media Overload is Reshaping Audience Engagement

A study conducted on 12,000 American adults revealed that two-thirds feel “exhausted” by the overwhelming volume of news they receive. Why is the public feeling drained by the news? Are audiences actively avoiding it, and at what psychological cost? Most importantly, how can the media rebuild trust and reconnect with its audience?

Othman Kabashi
Othman Kabashi Published on: 25 May, 2025
Weaponized Artificial Intelligence: The Unseen Threat to Fact-Checking

How has artificial intelligence emerged as a powerful tool during wartime, and what strategies are fact-checkers adopting to confront this disruptive force in newsrooms? The work of fact-checkers has grown significantly more challenging during the genocide in Palestine, as the Israeli occupation has relied heavily on artificial intelligence to disseminate misinformation.

Ahmad Al-Arja
Ahmad Al-Arja Published on: 18 May, 2025
Reporting from the Ruins; Why We Must Keep Myanmar’s Journalists Alive and Online

In Myanmar, journalism has become a courageous act of resistance. As the military junta tightens its grip on information, journalists face growing technological, political, and security barriers. This article explores the urgent need to support Myanmar’s embattled media workers before the country slides into a full information blackout.

Annie Zaman
Annie Zaman Published on: 13 May, 2025
Palestinian Journalist Lama Ghosheh Refuses to Be Silenced Under Occupation

Despite ongoing repression under Israeli occupation, Palestinian journalist Lama Ghosheh continues her work with unwavering resolve, documenting the lived realities of her people. Her story is one of resistance, family, and the high cost of speaking truth in the face of systemic silencing.

Synne Furnes Bjerkestrand
Synne Bjerkestrand Published on: 9 May, 2025
The Media Landscape in Sudan During the War

The ongoing war in Sudan has dismantled many media institutions, creating a vacuum filled by a vast stream of rumors and false information that has fueled internal conflict. A large segment of the public has turned to social media platforms in search of the truth, while some traditional media outlets continue to operate despite the targeting of their offices and journalists.

Mohammed Babiker Al-Awad
Mohammed Babiker Al-Awad Published on: 2 May, 2025
Western Media’s Double Standards on Muslim Women’s Suffering

When an Iranian student publicly protested against security forces by undressing, the moment garnered widespread attention in Western media. Meanwhile, even as 70 percent of those killed in Palestine are women and children, this ongoing violence—including the systematic killing, torture, and detention of Palestinian women—receives minimal coverage. This disparity raises urgent questions: How do Western media represent women’s issues in the Islamic world, and to what extent are such portrayals shaped by double standards?

Shaimaa Al-Eisai
Shaimaa Al-Eisai Published on: 24 Apr, 2025
Western Media Has Failed Their Palestinian Colleagues

A 2024 CPJ report revealed that nearly 70% of journalists killed that year were targeted by Israel, yet major Western media outlets largely ignored or downplayed the findings. The muted response to these targeted attacks and escalating press restrictions highlights a troubling double standard in the West’s commitment to press freedom.

Assal Rad
Assal Rad Published on: 21 Apr, 2025
Weaponizing the Law: SLAPPs Against Journalists and Press Freedom

SLAPPs—abusive lawsuits designed to silence journalists and activists—are surging across Southeast Asia, exploiting vague laws and weak protections to punish those who speak truth to power. As legal harassment intensifies, journalists face not only imprisonment and censorship but also emotional trauma, exile, and long-term damage to their careers.

AJR Contributor Published on: 17 Apr, 2025
Predicting the Future of Media in 2025

The rise of citizen journalism, the rethinking of long-form content, the evolution of video, and the exploration of AI opportunities are key elements of the media landscape forecast for 2025, according to a report from Harvard University's Nieman Lab.

Othman Kabashi
Othman Kabashi Published on: 15 Apr, 2025
Revisioning Journalism During a Genocide

Western media’s coverage of the Gaza genocide has revealed fundamental cracks in the notion of journalistic objectivity. Mainstream outlets have frequently marginalized or discredited Palestinian perspectives, often echoing narratives that align with Israeli state interests. In stark contrast, Palestinian journalists—reporting from within a besieged landscape—have become frontline truth-tellers. Through raw, emotional storytelling, they are not only documenting atrocities but also redefining journalism as a form of resistance and a reclaiming of ethical purpose.

Ana Maria Monjardino
Ana Maria Monjardino Published on: 4 Apr, 2025
How Media Drives Collective Adaptation During Natural Disasters in Oman

This paper highlights how Omani media, during times of natural disasters, focused on praising government efforts to improve its image, while neglecting the voices of victims and those affected by the cyclones. It also examines the media’s role in warning against and preventing future disasters.

Shaimaa Al-Eisai
Shaimaa Al-Eisai Published on: 31 Mar, 2025
Systematic Bias: How Western Media Framed the March 18 Massacre of Palestinians

On March 18, Israel launched a large-scale assault on Gaza, killing over 412 Palestinians and injuring more than 500, while Western media uncritically echoed Israel’s claim of “targeting Hamas.” Rather than exposing the massacre, coverage downplayed the death toll, delayed key facts, and framed the attacks as justified pressure on Hamas—further highlighting the double standard in valuing Palestinian lives.

Mei Shigenobu مي شيغينوبو
Mei Shigenobu Published on: 18 Mar, 2025
Misinformation in Syria: Natural Chaos or Organised Campaign?

Old videos inciting “sectarian strife,” statements taken out of context attacking Christians, scenes of heavy weaponry clashes in other countries, fabricated stories of fictitious detainees, and a huge amount of fake news that accompanied the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime: Is it the natural chaos of transition or a systematic campaign?

Farhat Khedr
Farhat Khedr Published on: 11 Mar, 2025
Trump and the Closure of USAID: A Candid Conversation on "Independent Media"

The impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to halt foreign funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Arab media platforms has largely gone undiscussed. Some of these platforms have consistently labelled themselves as "independent" despite being Western-funded. This article examines the reasons behind the failure of economic models for Western-funded institutions in the Arab world and explores the extent of their editorial independence.

Ahmad Abuhamad Published on: 9 Mar, 2025
The Sharp Contrast: How Israeli and Western Media Cover the War on Gaza

Despite being directly governed by Israeli policies, some Israeli media outlets critically report on their government’s actions and use accurate terminology, whereas Western media has shown complete bias, failing to be impartial in its coverage of Israel’s aggression in Gaza.

Faras Ghani Published on: 5 Mar, 2025
International Media Seek Gaza Access; What Do Palestinian Journalists Say?

As international media push for access to Gaza, Palestinian journalists—who have been the primary voices on the ground—criticize their Western counterparts for failing to acknowledge their contributions, amplify their reports, or support them as they risk their lives to document the war. They face systemic bias and exploitation, and continue to work under extreme conditions without proper recognition or support.

NILOFAR ABSAR
Nilofar Absar Published on: 26 Feb, 2025
Journalism and Artificial Intelligence: Who Controls the Narrative?

How did the conversation about using artificial intelligence in journalism become merely a "trend"? And can we say that much of the media discourse on AI’s potential remains broad and speculative rather than a tangible reality in newsrooms?

Mohammad Zeidan
Mohammad Zeidan Published on: 23 Feb, 2025
The Whispers of Resistance in Assad’s Reign

For more than a decade of the Syrian revolution, the former regime has employed various forms of intimidation against journalists—killing, interrogations, and forced displacement—all for a single purpose: silencing their voices. Mawadda Bahah hid behind pseudonyms and shifted her focus to environmental issues after a "brief session" at the Kafar Soussa branch of Syria’s intelligence agency.

Mawadah Bahah
Mawadah Bahah Published on: 18 Feb, 2025
Culture of silence: Journalism and mental health problems in Africa

The revealing yet underreported impact of mental health on African journalists is far-reaching. Many of them lack medical insurance, support, and counselling while covering sensitive topics or residing in conflicting, violent war zones, with some even considering suicide.

Derick Matsengarwodzi
Derick Matsengarwodzi Published on: 13 Feb, 2025
Tweets Aren’t News: Why Journalism Still Matters

Twitter, once key for real-time news, has become a battleground of misinformation and outrage, drowning out factual journalism. With major newspapers leaving, the challenge is to remind audiences that true news comes from credible sources, not the chaos of social media.

Ilya
Ilya U Topper Published on: 10 Feb, 2025
Will Meta Become a Platform for Disinformation and Conspiracy Theories?

Meta’s decision to abandon third-party fact-checking in favor of Community Notes aligns with Donald Trump’s long-standing criticisms of media scrutiny, raising concerns that the platform will fuel disinformation, conspiracy theories, and political polarization. With support from Elon Musk’s X, major social media platforms now lean toward a "Trumpian" stance, potentially weakening global fact-checking efforts and reshaping the online information landscape.

Arwa Kooli
Arwa Kooli Published on: 5 Feb, 2025
October 7: The Battle for Narratives and the Forgotten Roots of Palestine

What is the difference between October 6th and October 7th? How did the media distort the historical context and mislead the public? Why did some Arab media strip the genocidal war from its roots? Is there an agenda behind highlighting the Israel-Hamas duality in news coverage?

Said El Hajji
Said El Hajji Published on: 21 Jan, 2025
Challenges of Unequal Data Flow on Southern Narratives

The digital revolution has widened the gap between the Global South and the North. Beyond theories that attribute this disparity to the North's technological dominance, the article explores how national and local policies in the South shape and influence its narratives.

Hassan Obeid
Hassan Obeid Published on: 14 Jan, 2025