Iranian-American Detained Journalist Tops Annual Ranking of One Free Press Coalition’s “10 Most Urgent” Press Freedom Cases
NEW YORK – May 3, 2026 – Coinciding with World Press Freedom Day, leading news organizations and publishers around the world have come together as part of the One Free Press Coalition to announce the 2026 “10 Most Urgent” list, spotlighting fellow journalists being threatened and facing “terrorism” or “anti-state” charges for telling the truth.
Press freedoms globally are under threat, with journalists suffering from sustained harassment, physical harm, legal action and the threat of imprisonment. All of this undermines their ability to report truthfully and hold power to account. This year’s list focuses on journalists who have been targeted using “terrorism” or “anti-state” charges. According to CPJ, the majority of imprisoned journalists the majority of journalists imprisoned as of December 1, 2025 - 61% of those jailed worldwide – were being held on “anti-state” charges, which include accusations of terrorism or accepting funds from a foreign government.
Imprisoned in Tehran since September 2024, Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh tops the 2026 annual ranking, sentenced to a decade in prison for alleged collaboration with the US government. Jimmy Lai, founder of the newspaper Apple Daily, is second, with a Hong Kong court sentencing the media owner to 20 years in prison, effectively a life sentence.
Other journalists on the list have been denied legal access, are in declining health, or could face the death penalty across countries including China, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Ethiopia and Algeria.
The 2026 ‘10 Most Urgent’ list includes the following journalists, ranked in order of urgency:
1. Reza Valizadeh, journalist for Radio Farda, Iran
After 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 was summoned and interrogated for cooperating with exile-based Persian media before being arrested in September 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for “collaboration with the hostile government of the United States.”
2. Jimmy Lai, founder of newspaper Apple Daily, Hong Kong
Media owner Jimmy Lai, 78, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison under Hong Kong’s national security law for “collusion” and “seditious publication.” Arrested in 2020, he remains detained alongside former colleagues from the now-shuttered Apple Daily. China continues to be the world’s leading jailer of journalists.
3. Pham Doan Trang, author, journalist, activist and founder of Luat Khoa legal magazine, Vietnam
Journalist and activist Pham Doan Trang is serving a nine-year sentence for “anti-state propaganda,” linked to her reporting on democracy and human rights. She has faced deteriorating health in detention and been denied adequate medical care, while being held far from her family.
4. Zhang Zhan, citizen journalist and former lawyer, China
Citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is serving a second prison term after reporting from Wuhan during the Covid-19 outbreak. Re-arrested in 2024, she has been sentenced to an additional four years, with reports of denied legal access and severe mistreatment, including force-feeding during hunger strikes.
5. Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, journalist and human rights activist, Tajikistan
Veteran journalist Ulfatkhonim Mamadshoeva, 68, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being accused of organizing protests in 2022, facing multiple anti-state charges widely seen as targeting her reporting on regional issues, culture and women’s rights.
6. Tsi Conrad, filmmaker and photographer for Bareta News, Cameroon
Filmmaker and journalist Tsi Conrad has been imprisoned since 2018 over charges tied to covering protests. Serving a 15-year sentence, he continues to await a Supreme Court ruling on his appeal following a partial overturning of earlier convictions.
7. Frenchie Mae Cumpio, journalist for Eastern Vista and Aksyon Radyo Tacloban, Philippines
Journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio has been detained for over six years and faces a 12–18-year sentence for alleged terrorism financing. Arrested in 2020 at the age of 21, her case has drawn international scrutiny following findings that weapons may have been planted during a police raid in her home.
8. Sevinj Vagifgizi, chief editor of anti-corruption investigative outlet Abzas Media, Azerbaijan
Investigative editor Sevinj Vagifgizi is serving a nine-year sentence amid Azerbaijan’s crackdown on independent media. Arrested in 2023, she denies financial crime charges, stating they are retaliation for “a series of investigations into the corruption crimes committed by the president of the country and his appointed officials.”
9. Genet Asmamaw, reporter for Medlot Media, Ethiopia
Journalist Genet Asmamaw has been detained since 2023 on terrorism charges linked to her reporting on political conflict. She faces trial in 2026 and could receive the death penalty if convicted, in a country where multiple journalists remain jailed under similar accusations.
10. Christophe Gleizes, sports reporter for So Foot and Society, Algeria
French journalist Christophe Gleizes is serving a seven-year sentence in Algeria after being convicted of “glorifying terrorism” while reporting on a football club. His case makes him the only French journalist currently imprisoned worldwide, according to RSF.
About the One Free Press Coalition
The One Free Press Coalition is comprised of 43 prominent international members including: Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Bloomberg News, Reuters, The Washington Post, The Economist, TIME, Fortune, Barron’s, The Atlantic, WIRED, Business Insider, Quartz, Yahoo News, The Associated Press, Dow Jones, Nikkei Asia, The Straits Times, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Corriere della Sera, El País, Le Temps, L’Agefi, Deutsche Welle, EURACTIV, HuffPost, Boston Globe, India Today, AméricaEconomía, Estadão, Agencia EFE, Al Jazeera Media Network, De Standaard, Republik, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Voice of America, TV Azteca, LA7 and Office of Cuba Broadcasting. One Free Press Coalition partners with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) to identify the most urgent cases for the list, which is updated and published annually.
The mission of the Coalition is to use the collective voices of its members – which reach more than 1 billion people worldwide – to “stand up for journalists under attack for pursuing the truth.” News organizations throughout the world can join the Coalition by emailing info@onefreepresscoalition.com. Members of the public are also encouraged to join the conversation using the hashtag #OneFreePress and following developments on Twitter @OneFreePress.
To see the “10 Most Urgent” list and to view a complete list of participating news organizations and supporting partners, please visit https://www.onefreepresscoalition.com or @OneFreePress on X.