WAN-IFRA’s pioneering Media Freedom programme launched in Amman, Jordan this week as 40 journalists from Egypt, Jordan and Palestine gathered for three days of workshops, training sessions and professional development aimed at strengthening the role of media and enhancing the impact of journalism in society.

Al Jazeera English journalists Peter Greste, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed sentenced to between seven and ten years on terrorism-related charges; World’s press condemns “incomprehensible” verdict, passed despite lack of evidence tying the journalists to any criminal activity.

After more than ten months in jail without charges, Abdullah al-Shami was released from Cairo’s Scorpion prison on Tuesday 17 June. The Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent was arrested by security forces in August 2013 while covering the violent dispersal of a pro-Morsi sit-in that left hundreds of protesters dead.