It was an honour to contribute to the Baku Connection investigation as a France 24 Observers journalist, working alongside colleague Corentin Bainier. The collaborative project, led by Forbidden Stories, received the Special Award at the European Press Prize ceremony in Bari, Italy.
The FRANCE 24 Observers -including me- collaborated with France Info and Belgium’s RTBF to analyse the rhetoric of Elon Musk, one of Trump’s closest advisers. This two-part investigation, conducted by the Médias Francophones Publics, examines the X owner’s social media posts, documenting how the billionaire is propagating anti-Ukraine sentiment and posting tweets in support of the European far right.“I use my tweets to express myself,” Musk said in 2018. Seven years later, and three years after he bought Twitter, Musk uses his own platform, now known as X, to express himself more freely than ever. With his criticism of Europe and its institutions, attacks on Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent months, Musk has become a vocal supporter of the US presidential camp’s line. Journalists from Belgium’s RTBF, the FRANCE 24 Observers, and France Info, collaborating under the umbrella of the French-speaking public media association MFP (Médias Francophones Publics), looked at the 15,485 posts published or shared by Musk between November 4, 2024, the day before Trump’s election, and April 4, 2025. This report …
To mark the 100th day of US President Donald Trump’s second term, the FRANCE 24 Observers collaborated with France Info and Belgium’s RTBF to analyse the rhetoric of Elon Musk, one of Trump’s closest advisers. This two-part investigation, conducted by the Médias Francophones Publics, examines the X owner’s social media posts, documenting how the billionaire is propagating anti-Ukraine sentiment and posting tweets in support of the European far right. I was lucky to be part of the team. If you are interested, you can find our investigation here: Elon Musk’s tweets (1/2): A conduit for pro-Russian anti-Ukraine rhetoric Elon Musk’s tweets (2/2): Raising the profile of Europe’s far right
I am thrilled to announce that “Repression in Iran, Ammunition Made in France“, the investigation I conducted with my esteemed colleague Julie Dungelhoef, has been selected for the 32nd FIGRA Festival in the documentary competition (under 40 minutes). This two-year investigation uncovered how French-made shotgun shells ended up in Iran and were used against Woman, Life, Freedom protesters—despite international sanctions. Shedding light on this injustice would not have been possible without the courage of Iranians who sent us hundreds of photos and the bravery of Elaheh and Sima, two victims of shotgun fire, who shared their harrowing experiences.
Ershad Alijani 