Ahmed Zidan's Avatar

Ahmed Zidan

@zidan

Platforms | Press Freedom | Journalism Good takes and bad jokes. Dark humor and ๐Ÿฆ‹hite ๐Ÿฆ‹ine. Deputy director, audience, @freedom.press and @pressfreedomtracker.us. @zidanism on that other site.

7,427
Followers
1,437
Following
629
Posts
14.06.2023
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by Ahmed Zidan @zidan

Video thumbnail

Two white nationalists I exposed in a recent article showed up to try to intimidate me in person last night.

This is a press freedom issue.

Hereโ€™s what happened:

06.03.2026 00:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 1924 ๐Ÿ” 646 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 108 ๐Ÿ“Œ 70

This very innocuous videoโ€”where we merely cite a court transcript that highlighted a controversial position taken by the Trump DOJโ€”was flagged by TikTok for "violating community standards."

06.03.2026 15:44 ๐Ÿ‘ 38 ๐Ÿ” 16 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Exclusive: US investigation points to likely US responsibility in Iran school strike, sources say U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed scores of children on Saturday but have not yet reache...

BREAKING via Reuters

U.S. military investigators believe it is likely that U.S. forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls' school that killed scores of children on Saturday but have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation.

06.03.2026 02:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 444 ๐Ÿ” 192 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 27 ๐Ÿ“Œ 27
Preview
ICE detains reporter Estefany Rodrรญguez in Nashville - Nashville Banner Reporter Estefany Rodrรญguez, detained by ICE with no arrest warrant, may face deportation. Her attorneys seek immediate review of the legality of her case.

We donโ€™t yet know if Estefany Rodrรญguezโ€™s detention was in retaliation for her reporting but we certainly wouldnโ€™t be surprised.

ICE abductions of noncitizen journalists take the reporters best equipped to cover immigration enforcement off the beat.

06.03.2026 00:43 ๐Ÿ‘ 203 ๐Ÿ” 101 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 6 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
The Daniel Ellsberg Act Will End Espionage Act Abuse
The Daniel Ellsberg Act Will End Espionage Act Abuse YouTube video by Defending Rights & Dissent

The Espionage Act has been used to criminalize whistleblowing and newsgathering for years.

Join us for a webinar to learn about Rep. Rashida Tlaib's bill to reform the archaic law.

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ March 12, 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT

RSVP: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmXN...

05.03.2026 22:26 ๐Ÿ‘ 72 ๐Ÿ” 20 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Video thumbnail

For years, we warned that the case against Julian Assange could be used against mainstream journalists, despite what many pundits said.

Well โ€ฆ now, itโ€™s happening.

Watch @trevortimm.bsky.social expose how the Trump administration is citing the WikiLeaks case in court to target journalistsโ€™ rights.

05.03.2026 22:24 ๐Ÿ‘ 67 ๐Ÿ” 35 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 2

Very good point, Erik, or just provide free healthcare for all. ;-)

I know this will not necessarily cover engineering and law, but at least, it shows that the intention is not gatekeeping, or capture as you called it, but rather having well-informed citizenry.

05.03.2026 22:45 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
The public deserves to know when Iran war reporting is stifled An unprecedented censorship infrastructure will obscure the fighting

Uncensored reporting โ€œmight not fix the secrecy surrounding this war, but it could lead to greater demand for transparency and greater skepticism of official narratives in the run-up to the next โ€˜forever war.โ€™ Maybe it could even help avoid the next one altogether.โ€

@seth-stern.bsky.social writes:

05.03.2026 02:55 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
The public deserves to know when Iran war reporting is stifled An unprecedented censorship infrastructure will obscure the fighting

โ€œThe censorship infrastructure surrounding this war is extraordinary. On the American side, self-proclaimed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has virtually eliminated press access to the military and limited press credentialing to journalists who pledge to remain official stenographers.โ€

04.03.2026 21:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 53 ๐Ÿ” 33 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
Preview
Inside the Pro-Israel Campaign to Stop โ€˜The Voice of Hind Rajabโ€™ From Winning an Oscar A group led by top Hollywood executives and linked to the Israeli government is trying to smear a film about a little girl killed by Israeli forces.

@zeteo.comโ€™s @premthakker.bsky.social reports on the Pro-Israel campaign to stop โ€œThe Voice of Hind Rajabโ€ from winning an Oscar: A group led by top Hollywood executives and linked to the Israeli government is trying to smear the film about the little innocent girl killed by Israeli forces in 2024.

04.03.2026 21:10 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

โ€œThere was so much fear on the part of our corporation and their bottom line โ€ฆ It really had a chilling effect on everything we were doing in the political space," says award-winning radio political reporter @sovernnation.bsky.social who recently retired after over three decades at KCBS Radio in SF.

04.03.2026 19:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image

๐Ÿ”” TODAY: Government officials are citing journalism as "doxxing" to threaten press freedom.

Join our webinar with @telliotter.bsky.social, @royalpratt.bsky.social, @sovernnation.bsky.social, and @charlie4change.bsky.social to learn more.

๐Ÿ•‘ 2 pm ET

RSVP: freedom.press/journalism-isnt-doxxing

04.03.2026 15:52 ๐Ÿ‘ 30 ๐Ÿ” 17 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

"Full Marรญa Machado treatment.โ€

03.03.2026 19:38 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Greece: Convictions in โ€˜Predatorgateโ€™ scandal offer rare accountability in abuse of surveillance technology A Greek court has found four individuals linked to spyware maker Intellexa, guilty of unlawful access to private information.

Greece: Convictions in โ€˜Predatorgateโ€™ scandal offer rare accountability in abuse of surveillance technology

03.03.2026 19:29 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
ICE activity is pushing readers to nonprofit news sites that cover immigrant communities From Somalis in Minneapolis to Nepalis in New York City, immigrant communities turn to trusted local news sources. Here's our regular ranking of the top 25 nonprofit news sites in the United States.

ICE activity is pushing readers to nonprofit news sites that cover immigrant communities www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/ice-...

14.02.2026 15:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 21 ๐Ÿ” 11 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Florida wants its own CIA. That could lead to unchecked domestic surveillance | Seth Stern, Lauren Harper and Bobby Block A bill to create a state intelligence operation would allow scrutiny based on โ€˜opinionsโ€™ โ€“ and could prompt other states to follow

The language in a controversial Florida bill that aims to create a state intelligence operation โ€œallows scrutiny based on โ€˜viewsโ€™ and โ€˜opinionsโ€™, a standard that echoes some of the darkest chapters of American surveillance history.โ€

โ€œSurveillance authorities, once created, rarely disappear.โ€

02.03.2026 15:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

At least 108 girls b/w ages 7 & 12 were killed at their school in Minab. An IRGC base is nearby & was likely the target.

Initial attempts to deflect US/Israeli blame for the strike by claiming an Iranian misfire hit the school are undercut by vid of the base also being struck. Given the location...

01.03.2026 20:34 ๐Ÿ‘ 63 ๐Ÿ” 31 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Collapse Without Liberation: The Structural Reordering of the Middle East The Iranian regime has collapsed. The Iranian foreign minister has just told Al Jazeera English that the government no longer has real control over the Revolutionary Guard. He said: what happened iโ€ฆ

Collapse Without Liberation: The Structural Reordering of the Middle East

โ€œZionism is not only an occupation or nationalist expansion, but also a specific form of organizing capitalism in the region,โ€ @ahmednaji.bsky.social writes.

01.03.2026 20:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post

See new posts
Conversation
Laura Rozen
@lrozen
ยท
2h
From US admin official background briefing recording listening to, seriously question if US negotiators understood what Iranians were proposing. One official keeps saying acronym for โ€œIAEAโ€ wrong.
They seem astonished Iran would not agree to the US supplying them nuclear fuel
Laura Rozen
@lrozen
ยท
2h
They took as suspicious proposals that Iran saw as concessionary.
Laura Rozen
@lrozen
ยท
2h
Explains why Oman FM tried to come to DC to explain what US negotiators may not have fully understood
Laura Rozen
@lrozen
Am not saying what Iran proposed would have been enough, I dont know, but it seems US negotiators did not have the expert guidance to understand it correctly

Post See new posts Conversation Laura Rozen @lrozen ยท 2h From US admin official background briefing recording listening to, seriously question if US negotiators understood what Iranians were proposing. One official keeps saying acronym for โ€œIAEAโ€ wrong. They seem astonished Iran would not agree to the US supplying them nuclear fuel Laura Rozen @lrozen ยท 2h They took as suspicious proposals that Iran saw as concessionary. Laura Rozen @lrozen ยท 2h Explains why Oman FM tried to come to DC to explain what US negotiators may not have fully understood Laura Rozen @lrozen Am not saying what Iran proposed would have been enough, I dont know, but it seems US negotiators did not have the expert guidance to understand it correctly

On top of all the reporting that this war of aggression was planned well in advance, it seems that the reporting also indicates that the US political leadership are quite literally too stupid to understand basic diplomacy. I mean literally not smart enough.

28.02.2026 23:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 8187 ๐Ÿ” 2455 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 232 ๐Ÿ“Œ 238
Post image

We obtained the first publicly released satellite image of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound in Tehran, after it was struck by Israel/US. There are several destroyed buildings. Current whereabouts of Iran's supreme leader are unknown; compound used as his official residence. ๐Ÿ›ฐ๏ธ๐Ÿ“ธ: @airbus.com

28.02.2026 11:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 303 ๐Ÿ” 153 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 19 ๐Ÿ“Œ 18
Preview
States Can Block the Paramount-Warner Deal - The American Prospect But thanks to some clever maneuvering, they are already running out of time.

โ€œParamount/Warner Bros is not a done deal. These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutinyโ€”the California Department of Justice has an open investigation, and we intend to be vigorous in our review,โ€ CA AG says.

Via @prospect.org

28.02.2026 01:32 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
Paramount and Warner Bros' deal is about merging studios, and a whole lot more The nearly $111 billion marriage would unite Paramount and Warner film studios, streamers and television properties โ€” including CNN โ€” under the control of the wealthy Ellison family.

David Ellison "will readily throw the First Amendment, CNN's reporters and HBO's filmmakers under the bus if they stand in the way of expanding his corporate empire and fattening his pockets," FPF Seth Stern said.

Read more from @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social:

27.02.2026 20:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 61 ๐Ÿ” 21 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 8 ๐Ÿ“Œ 4
Video thumbnail

A federal judge is furious at the DOJ over withholding info on the raid on a Washington Post journalistโ€™s home.

Plus, Florida plans to have its own spy quads to monitor views it doesn't like.

Watch @trevortimm.bsky.social highlight these stories and more, and subscribe: freedom.press/newsletters

27.02.2026 19:21 ๐Ÿ‘ 40 ๐Ÿ” 15 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

New: As David Ellison prepares to take control of CNN, legendary CBS News producer Mary Walsh, who is exiting, sent a goodbye note to colleagues.

In the note, Walsh writes, "Weโ€™ve been told to aim our reporting at a particular part of the political spectrum. Honestly, I donโ€™t know how to do that."

27.02.2026 19:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 5617 ๐Ÿ” 1682 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 108 ๐Ÿ“Œ 102
Preview
Calls mount for release of Palestinian protester held by ICE for nearly a year Leqaa Kordia was taken into custody last March, nearly a year after being arrested at a protest at Columbia

I I hope our principled Mayor @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social can do something about it!

#FreeLeqaa

27.02.2026 23:22 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

As relieved as I am by the news of Ellie Aghayevaโ€™s release, Iโ€™m equally horrified by the lawlessness of that federal agency that continues to run rampant โ€” detaining innocent students and migrants and upending their lives.

I hope Aghayeva uses her platform to demand #FreeLeqaa.

27.02.2026 23:19 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

JUST IN: A federal judge says the Trump administration has been โ€œterrorizingโ€ refugees โ€” violating the promise America made to them when they fled persecution at home โ€” by locking them up illegally. He blocked the policy for those in MN storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

27.02.2026 22:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 5730 ๐Ÿ” 1870 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 47 ๐Ÿ“Œ 49

โ€œIt does not take a scholar of legal ethics to conclude that government lawyers should not be allowed to make up a violent and organized terrorist invasion of a major American city," @freedom.press' @seth-stern.bsky.social

He rightly calls the government claims "nonsense" and "fabricated hysteria"

27.02.2026 20:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
DOJ lawyer falsely cited terrorism to justify press freedom violations FPF complaint seeks accountability for government lawyer who undermined Constitution with fabricated hysteria

@freedom.press Thursday filed an attorney disciplinary complaint against a DOJ lawyer ridiculous remarks to a federal judge in Chicago that ICE violations of protesters and journalistsโ€™ rights were justified by โ€œa riot with violent terrorist organizations attempting to dox ICE" and their families.

27.02.2026 20:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
Censorship is bad for business Plus, order restricting Natanson search didnโ€™t go far enough

๐Ÿ“ฉ Read in our weekly newsletter (and subscribe):

- When profit is paramount โ€” and press freedom isnโ€™t
- Order restricting Natanson search didnโ€™t go far enough
- Government lawyers: Donโ€™t make up terrorist attacks
- Learn how to FOIA from the pros
- Plus, get to know what weโ€™re reading...

27.02.2026 19:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 23 ๐Ÿ” 6 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1