In a landmark victory for free speech and justice, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York today granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from enforcing its sanctions regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC) against DAWN and Taxpayers Alliance Against Genocide (TAAG), the two organizations said today. dawnmena.org/u-s-court-block…

“Three years into a televised genocide, growing more profitable by the day … we are deep into a major unrestrained predatory elitism,” with “state power influenced by corporate interests, weaponized against civilians,” said UN Special Rapporteur @FranceskAlbs, in a video message for DAWN’s 2026 Annual Gala & Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. “And it didn’t start in Gaza. This is where it became global and televised.” With U.S. support, since 2001, “torture, indefinite detention, and now genocide” have been normalized, said Albanese, who has been targeted by the Trump administration with sanctions for her work upholding international law and Palestinian rights. To counter these injustices, Francesca Albanese said, “we must think and act together. Transnationally. And on principle. Bodies on the line if that’s what it takes.” “The rule of law hasn’t gotten us to heaven, for sure. But it has kept us out of hell. And hell is on the horizon now. So let’s hold the line together,” Albanese urged. Earlier this month, in response to a DAWN and Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (TAAG) lawsuit against the Trump administration’s sanctions targeting Albanese, the International Criminal Court, and Palestinian human rights organizations, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction barring the administration from imposing penalties on DAWN and TAAG for submitting evidence to the ICC or engaging with Albanese and the Palestinian organizations.

“Sudan's brutal civil war continues with no end in sight, largely due to the negative role of outside actors. The UAE's role is notable, enabled by US complicity that has allowed Abu Dhabi to perpetuate the fighting." @husamom's analysis in @DAWN_Journal: dawnmena.org/the-uae-is-fuel…

“We’re gathering at a time of unprecedented brutality and murder, with the blanket killing of journalists at a rate never before seen in our lifetimes—or indeed, in the generations that have come before us. Over 260 journalists and media workers killed by Israel. Nearly all of them in Palestine. But also in Lebanon, in Yemen, and elsewhere,” said @sharifkouddous of @dropsitenews, speaking at DAWN’s 2026 Annual Gala & Awards Dinner. Sharif Abdel Kouddous detailed the targeting of journalists in the region, as he introduced @aseisfree, who was presented with DAWN’s 2026 Jamal Khashoggi Defender of Justice Award, for his courageous journalism and commitment to speaking truth despite the personal consequences. “We got here not only because Israel has not been held accountable by its backers in the U.S. and Europe, who continue to fund, arm, enable, and support Israel, but also because Western media outlets have largely abandoned their journalist colleagues in Palestine. For the most part, the coverage in the U.S. and Europe of Israel’s killing of Palestinian journalists has been at its best tepid, and at its worst complicit,” Abdel Kouddous continued. “Amid the killing fields, we have witnessed the single most heroic act of journalism in our lifetimes. I’m speaking of those very Palestinian journalists in Gaza, who despite their press vests being turned from a shield into a bull’s eye, have continued to cover the genocide of their people, have continued to investigate, and to tell stories, and to bear witness." "They continue to inspire us in their bravery and in their struggle for liberation, because the fight for freedom in Palestine is a fight for the freedom of us all.”

"The bombs falling in Gaza are being guided by code written in California. This isn’t a war; it’s a joint venture of genocide.” At DAWN’s 2026 Annual Gala & Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., we honored Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (@aseisfree), an Emmy-nominated journalist, presenting him with the 2026 Jamal Khashoggi Defender of Justice Award, for his courageous journalism, outspoken defense of Palestinian rights, and commitment to speaking truth despite the personal consequences. Throughout his career, Ahmed has challenged mainstream media's failures, exposing how political and corporate interests can shape coverage and silence uncomfortable truths. For him, journalism is not simply about reporting facts, but about using stories to illuminate the human condition and, in his words, “to move society forward.” His reporting and advocacy have been uncompromising, including on Palestine. “Language matters,” he reminds us, challenging the unequal ways Palestinian and Israeli lives are portrayed in the media. He insists that genuine peace requires equality, accountability, Palestinian self-determination, and an end to occupation. In March 2026, Ahmed was arrested in Kuwait, where he was visiting family, after sharing a news clip about events there. His 52-day detention and Kuwait’s revocation of his citizenship underscore the personal cost journalists can face for exercising their right to speak freely. Yet his message remains one of courage, solidarity, and hope: “Do not underestimate the power of connecting with other human beings and drawing strength from there,” he says. “Because that is how change happens historically: political change, social change for any community.” Watch this video tribute honoring Ahmed’s courage, principled journalism, and unwavering commitment to justice. We’ll continue sharing highlights from DAWN’s gala soon. Stay tuned.

“Eight years ago ... a Saudi hit team killed [Jamal Khashoggi], and with a bonesaw, dismembered his body. But, while the Saudi regime killed Jamal Khashoggi, they did not silence him. His legacy lives on, not only in DAWN, but in each and every one of you that eight years later have come together to honor his legacy and to recommit to the fight to push the envelope for human rights in the Middle East region," said @OmarSShakir, speaking speaking at DAWN's 2026 annual gala in D.C.

“Members of the European Parliament lamented the EU's inability to coordinate a cohesive response to the unauthorized military campaign against Iran" contributing to "the gradual collapse of international law." Analysis from @KZiabari in @DAWN_Journal: dawnmena.org/the-e-u-abdicat…

“This honor, belongs to my pediatric colleagues in Palestine. Colleagues who embody a profound commitment to protecting life in the face of a concerted effort to destroy it,” said Dr. @Tanyaalih, after being presented with DAWN's 2026 Jamal Khashoggi Defender of Justice Award.