Police Foil Contract Killings Attempt on Journalists in Pakistan, US Linked to Iran-Backed Plot

Two separate assassination attempts against journalists have recently been foiled, underscoring ongoing threats to press freedom. In Rawalpindi, Pakistan, police arrested three suspects hired to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer, who had faced threats after reporting on a private company; the suspects had surveilled his home and received partial payment for the contract murder. Meanwhile, in New York City, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov were sentenced to 25 years in prison for a 2022 Iran-backed murder-for-hire plot targeting Iranian dissident journalist Masih Alinejad, a prominent critic of Tehran's regime. Prosecutors described the New York plot as an attempt to silence Alinejad, who has faced longstanding threats and survived previous assassination and kidnapping attempts. Both incidents highlight the dangerous environment journalists face globally, with the Rawalpindi case involving local actors and the New York case linked to international state-backed operatives. These cases emphasize the urgent need for protections to ensure journalists can operate without fear of violence or intimidation.