JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

In 2025, the international landscape for independent media shifted dramatically. The closure of key USAID programs removed vital lifelines for many exiled outlets, while overall investment in civil society continued to decline. At the same time, political pressures on independent media grew across multiple countries. Together, these developments reshaped how information is produced, funded, and accessed worldwide.

A botnet that spreads false claims across multiple languages, fake copy accounts mimicking top Western media, AI-trained on manipulated datasets to twist narratives – these are just a few of the extraordinary manipulation efforts uncovered by exiled media outlets.

The past year once again shook the Russian independent media sector in exile. Russian authorities tightened censorship, expanded surveillance, and criminalized the consumption of independent media content. Despite this hostile environment and a sector-wide financial crisis, independent media outlets in exile held their ground and even expanded their reach across multiple channels.

How does the Kremlin infiltrate Europe’s information sphere to sway elections and shape public opinion? Where did fugitive Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek vanish to? Why are many of China’s cities sinking? Without exiled media, you probably wouldn’t know.

On October 16th, the Russian Ministry of Justice listed the JX Fund as an “undesirable organisation”. This designation prohibits any activity by JX Fund in the Russian Federation and criminalises cooperation with the organisation under Russian law.

Maral Jekta will take over as managing director of the JX Fund at the start of October 1st. She is succeeding Penelope Winterhager, who has successfully managed the fund since its foundation in spring 2022.

The accelerating decline of democratic structures is triggering a global exodus of journalists from authoritarian countries. Exiled media are now, in many regions, the last institutions capable of documenting increasing autocratization and making democratic backsliding visible.

In times of shifting geopolitics and increasing challenges for independent journalism, supporting exiled media is more crucial than ever. Combining regional context, audience data, and nuanced insights, our country profiles on Afghanistan, Belarus, Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria highlight the critical role of exiled journalism in safeguarding truth under repressive regimes.