Islamabad / New York – May 2025 — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has strongly condemned the ongoing censorship and intimidation of exiled Pakistani investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani, whose YouTube channel and news website have been blocked in Pakistan following his reports critical of the military establishment.
In a statement issued Friday, CPJ called on Pakistani authorities to immediately restore access to Noorani’s YouTube channel and uphold the rights of journalists to report freely and safely. “The brutal intimidation of journalists and their families must stop,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator. “The Pakistan government must allow the media to report freely.”
Noorani, now based in the United States, has long faced threats for his investigative reporting. In 2017, he survived a violent attack by unidentified assailants in Islamabad, sustaining severe head injuries. Despite a Senate-commissioned investigation overseen by then-Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, no arrests or prosecutions have been made.
The most recent crackdown against Noorani escalated in March 2025, following the publication of a report alleging “unchecked hegemony and misgovernance” under Pakistan’s current Army Chief, General Asim Munir. Just three days later, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed new charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), accusing Noorani of spreading “anti-state propaganda.”
The campaign against him intensified further when, on March 19, Noorani’s brothers were reportedly abducted—an act he claims was carried out by intelligence agents. In response, CPJ reiterated its condemnation of threats and violence against journalists and their families.
Noorani’s legal troubles date back to June 2023, when the FIA accused him of illegally accessing tax documents of senior military officials, including former Army Chief Qamar Bajwa. The agency threatened arrest and subsequently moved to censor Noorani’s news platform.
Critics argue that Pakistan’s Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, passed in 2021, is being disregarded in Noorani’s case. Meanwhile, new legal amendments introduced in January 2024 have strengthened state control over media narratives by granting sweeping powers to initiate cases under PECA—especially against journalists critical of the government or military.
As of May 12, Noorani’s digital platforms remain inaccessible within Pakistan, and new charges were filed a day later by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency. These developments have fueled alarm among rights groups over Pakistan’s deteriorating press freedom, particularly amid mounting political tensions and civilian unrest.
Source: Adapted from Jurist.com article by Edward David Brunner, University of Greenwich School of Law & Criminology, United Kingdom.
