Conclusion Based on these facts and figures and the contexts in which they took place, there is no doubt Al Jazeera was targeted on many occasions for its far-reaching, influential and unprecedented approach to journal- ism. Attacks against the network and its staff took different forms in different countries and were not confined to autocratic governments in the Middle East. In fact, the bloodiest and most aggressive violations were committed by countries in which legislation guarantees freedom of the press and expression. In many cases, these targeted violations had the goal of burying the truth or hiding crimes including those commit- ted during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Al Jazeera was targeted not only because it was a witness to these crimes, but also because of the unique media model it created and the counter-narrative with which it challenged the dominant narratives and the powers behind them. During its twenty-five years of operation and media coverage in one the most difficult and dangerous regions in the world for journal- ists, Al Jazeera has paid a high price for its professionalism and coura- geous reporting. Along this journey, it did have a few missteps, but it was quick to address and learn from them in a highly professional man- ner. But more importantly, it kept developing the tools and mechanisms that will allow it to confront threats and minimize mistakes, as it looks ahead to the next 25 years and beyond.
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