Former Reporter Suing CNN *

Saima Mohsin, a former foreign correspondent for CNN, has filed a lawsuit against the news channel, claiming unfair dismissal and racial discrimination after she suffered severe injuries while on assignment in Israel. Mohsin, a British-Pakistani journalist, was left disabled following an accident in Jerusalem during her coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict in 2014.

The incident occurred when Mohsin's cameraman accidentally ran over her foot with a car, causing significant tissue damage that has resulted in her struggling to sit, stand, walk, or return to work full-time. According to Mohsin, she requested alternative duties and support for rehabilitation, but CNN refused to provide assistance. She further alleges that she asked to switch to a presenting role to reduce travel time, only to be told that she didn't have the desired appearance.

Three years later, CNN terminated Mohsin's contract, prompting her decision to file an employment tribunal claim. Mohsin asserts that the network failed to support her after the life-changing injury, despite her risking her life on multiple assignments as an international correspondent. She states, "I worked hard to become an international correspondent and loved my job with CNN. I risked my life many times on assignment for CNN believing they would have my back. They did not."

Mohsin's legal claim encompasses accusations of race and disability discrimination, as well as a complaint regarding the gender pay gap at CNN. She alleges that high-profile on-air opportunities were consistently denied to her, with white American correspondents being preferred even when she was ready to go live from the ground.

CNN has chosen not to comment on the allegations, while the broadcaster opposes the claim on territorial grounds, citing the terms of Mohsin's contract as preventing her from pursuing the case in London.

The lawsuit comes at a challenging time for CNN, as the news network has undergone significant job cuts and has been grappling with the aftermath of several scandals, missteps, and declining ratings in its core US market. Former long-time boss Jeff Zucker departed last year due to a relationship with a colleague, and his successor, Chris Licht, was sacked after only a year. Additionally, CNN is navigating a corporate restructuring within its parent company, Warner Bros Discovery.

Currently, Mohsin works as a freelance presenter for Sky News and has produced a program for ITV about living with invisible disabilities. She is represented by barristers Paras Gorasia and Jennifer Robinson of Doughty Street Chambers, who also acted on behalf of cricketer Azeem Rafiq in his claim against Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Mohsin emphasizes that her lawsuit raises vital concerns about journalist safety and the treatment of women of color in the field of journalism. She states, "This should cause concern for all foreign correspondents who travel around the world—and take risks to do their journalism—in the belief their employer will take care of them. I'm also taking the opportunity to highlight the racism and gender pay gap issues that I experienced. I was repeatedly let down and denied the ability to achieve my potential while I was at CNN. I am bringing my claim to take a stand and call for change to ensure women journalists, and women journalists of color, are better protected."