Yanis Mhamdi

Yanis Mhamdi is a French investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker based in Paris. He currently works for Blast – Le souffle de l’info, where he specializes in in-depth investigations into political finance, colonial memory, and human rights. As a documentary director, he produced “Netanyahu: Portrait of a War Criminal” screened in French cinemas. He was also in the West Bank where he shot his next film, “Alice in Settlerland.”

In June 2025, Yanis joined the flotilla mission aboard the humanitarian vessel Madleen, alongside activists including Greta Thunbergto deliver aid to Gaza and challenge the blockade. He was arrested by Israeli forces in international waters on June 9, 2025, and detained in Giv’on prison for refusing to sign ambiguous release forms—a move denounced by Reporters sans frontières, IFJ, EFJ and backed by over 300 journalists and media outlets. Yanis Mhamdi’s work is defined by a commitment to frontline reporting, exposing abuses of power, and defending the freedom to inform, even in the most dangerous and controlled environments.