SANEF Condemns the Unconscionable Targeting of Journalists and Draconian Media Clampdowns in Escalating Middle East Conflict
10 April 2026
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) expresses its deep outrage and strongest possible condemnation of the continued deliberate targeting and killing of journalists since the outbreak of the U.S., Israel war on Iran in February.
This conflict, which has surged with devastating force into Lebanon and the broader Gulf region, is increasingly being characterised by a lethal disregard for the lives of media workers and a systematic assault on the truth.
The scale of the loss is staggering. Since the escalation began on February 28, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented a harrowing rise in fatalities estimated at eight so far. In just the last 48 hours, at least three more journalists were killed in strikes in Lebanon.
Ghada Dayekh (Sawt al-Farah), Suzan Khalil (Al-Manar TV), and Mohammed Samir Washah (Al Jazeera).
“This is quite unconscionable,” says SANEF Chairperson, Makhudu Sefara. “The deliberate nature of these attacks suggests that journalists are no longer being caught in the crossfire but are being actively hunted to ensure that the horrors of this war remain hidden from the world. International law is clear: journalists are civilians and must be protected. To target them is a war crime.”
Beyond the physical targeting of reporters in the field, SANEF is gravely concerned by the draconian measures implemented by both the Israeli and Iranian governments to stifle media freedom domestically.
In Israel, new emergency regulations and military censorship have effectively gagged the press within Israel, carrying the threat of incarceration and heavy legal punishment for those who report accurately on the realities of the war. These restrictions go beyond standard operational security; they prevent the media from documenting: The true extent of how Israeli citizens are experiencing the daily trauma of the war. As well as authentic public sentiment regarding the conflict.
According to the CPJ, Iran’s judiciary has ordered the identification, asset seizure, and bank account freezes of at least 100 individuals, including journalists and media workers affiliated with opposition outlets abroad, over their alleged “cooperation with hostile foreign entities.” By criminalising the reporting of the human cost of the war, the Israeli government is not only suppressing its own media but is denying the global community a clear understanding of the conflict’s consequences.
The past two weeks have seen a terrifying expansion of these tactics. SANEF also notes with alarm the targeted bombing of Iran’s government media structures and staff, as well as the repeated strikes on clearly marked press vehicles in Lebanon. These actions represent a calculated attempt to dismantle the very infrastructure of news reporting in the region.
SANEF calls on the international community, the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to urgently investigate these killings as targeted assassinations and to challenge the legislative “legalisation” of censorship. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in Iran, Lebanon, and Israel who are being silenced by either missiles or the threat of a prison cell.
Impunity for these crimes must end. When the state treats the truth as an enemy of the people, the foundations of democracy and global human rights are under threat.
ENDS
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism by fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, conducting research, and providing education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
For more information, please contact:
Makhudu Sefara – Chairperson (079) 177-2134
Tshamano Makhadi – Deputy Chairperson (082) 223-062
Glenda Daniels – Secretary-General (083) 229-9708
Sbu Ngalwa – Treasurer-General (073) 404-1415
Slindile Khanyile – Media Freedom Chair (083) 471-0367
Katy Katopodis – Wellness and Safety Chair (082) 805-7022
Dianne Hawker – Gauteng Convenor (072) 016-5984
Judy Sandison – KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
Jude Mathurine – Eastern Cape Convenor (083) 799-1701
Sisanda Nkoala – Western Cape Convenor (073) 138-5564
Reggy Moalusi – Executive Director (071) 682-3695
Twitter: @SAEditorsForum
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sanef.org.za
