Solidarity with Mostafa Al-A’sar- Journalism is not a crime

The Canadian Freelance Union condemns the cyberattack against our member, Mostafa Al-A’sar, as part of a broader campaign targeting Egyptian and Lebanese journalists, as reported by digital rights organization Access Now. 

Mostafa is being attacked due to his work as a journalist. The phishing and surveillance he has experienced are deliberate attempts to access his communications and intimidate him.

Mostafa Al-A’sar was detained in Egypt for nearly four years due to his work before leaving the country to escape repression and arriving in Canada in 2024.

Al-A’sar was the 2024–2025 Massey College journalism fellow and a contributing writer at The Walrus, where he continues reporting on human rights issues from exile.

“The systematic digital targeting of journalists is a clear and escalating campaign of intimidation aimed at silencing independent voices. Exile no longer guarantees safety. Governments are actively extending repression across borders through both physical and digital means. Foreign governments must confront this reality and make transnational repression a non-negotiable priority in all dealings with authoritarian regimes,”  said Mostafa Al-A’sar, journalist and CFU member.

This is an unacceptable violation of his rights and a direct attack on press freedom. Journalists must be able to do their work without fear of physical violence or covert digital surveillance.

Contact: organizer@canadianfreelanceunion.com