JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

The Etilaat Roz was once the most widely circulated newspaper in Kabul, but everything changed in August 2021 when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. In this unique video diary, journalist Abbas Rezaie follows the tenacious correspondents as they continue to report the news.

Threats from the state have led many journalists across the world to flee their home countries to report from elsewhere. But for many the intimidation did not stop when they left.

In the central Sahel, journalists and reporters have seen their working conditions deteriorate ever since they were taken over by military juntas, international organisations have found.

Guatemala’s new government has made press freedom a priority. But journalists are skeptical. The “pact of the corrupt” still has too much influence. And those who report critically on it are therefore staying abroad for the time being.

The number of BBC World Service journalists working in exile is estimated to have nearly doubled, to 310, since 2020. The figures, released for the first time ahead of World Press Freedom Day, reflect press crackdowns in Russia, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia.

From Vladimir Putin in Russia to the theocrats in Iran, authoritarian leaders are increasingly shutting down independent media and locking up reporters, with hundreds of journalists now in jail around the globe.

Journalism has never been a safe profession, but the last couple of years have felt particularly grim. For vox.com Caroline Houck took a closer look on the dangers faced by journalists globally and reveals a disturbing trend of attacks on journalism worldwide.

The precarious situation of journalists forced to flee Guatemala, despite recent political changes, exposes the broader struggle for press freedom in Latin America, revealing systemic issues that continue to undermine democratic principles and silence critical voices.

At least 460 journalists left their home countries in 2023. Exiled reporters from Afghanistan, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Ukraine share their challenges in this longread on exiled journalism, Laura Dulce Romero wrote for Reuters Institute. Solutions included!

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is alarmed by a worrying increase in the restrictions imposed on journalists, with authoritarian directives on women journalists’ dress, restrictions on women’s access to the audiovisual media and a ban on filming or photographing Taliban officials.

This publication features detailed narratives and interviews with 11 journalists who were forced to leave their homes in Turkey and Russia due to increasing pressures on free media.These stories not only highlight the personal struggles and resilience of these journalists but also delve into the broader implications of such mass displacement on journalism and freedom of speech.

A Turkish prosecutor has demanded up to 10 and a half years in prison for Hayko Bağdat, a Turkish-Armenian journalist based in Germany, on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Three years into Myanmar’s military rule, the country’s journalists are rebuilding newsrooms in exile and finding ways to keep sources safe, while accessing news about the conflict between the junta and the resistance movement.

Turkey ranks 165th out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. Anyone who criticizes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his government or people close to him gets into trouble.

Independent media websites blocked by the authorities in Russia and Belarus say they are disadvantaged by the Google search engine. Journalists are calling for a new algorithm.

Tatyana Margolin, co-founder of STROIKA, emphasizes the urgent need for redefining ‘home’ and the necessity of crafting new concepts of belonging in an era marked by transnational repression and forced migration. A call to reimagine ‘home’ beyond geographical confines.

As American journalism focuses on reviving local news, building connected ecosystems, and targeting infusions of philanthropic support, one of the biggest growth areas for journalism in the coming year is one that none of us would wish for — the journalism of the displaced.