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This report introduces the previously unknown Spyware ResidentBat used by the Belarussian KGB (secret service) – It targets Android phones and is installed through physical device access. Broad application permissions and an accessibility service allow the app access to a wide range of data, spanning phone calls, SMS, encrypted messenger chats and files on the phone.
A new report highlights how Taliban censorship, arrests, and intimidation severely threaten Afghan journalists working inside the country. Despite growing risks, many continue reporting under fear and secrecy. Journalists warn that without strong international support, independent voices in Afghanistan may soon be silenced.
This Strategic Vision Paper is an essential guide to understanding the Belarusian media in exile. Despite relentless state terror, Belarusian media in exile continue to reach up to 39% of the audience inside the country. A striking 94% of their audience opposes the war in Ukraine – a powerful testament to the influence of independent journalism.
Dissidents who have fled Alexander Lukashenko’s rule in Belarus have spoken of threats being made against them and their relatives at home. Hundreds of thousands of Belarusians are estimated to have left their country since the brutal crackdown on widespread opposition protests in 2020, after Lukashenko, 70, claimed victory in presidential elections that were widely condemned as rigged.
More than 60 exiled Belarusian journalists face criminal charges under opaque “special proceedings” that allow convictions in absentia. Authorities seize property, harass relatives, and label journalists as extremists in a sweeping campaign of transnational repression. Many now self-censor or work anonymously to protect themselves and their families.
Like much of Belarus’s independent media sector, Hrodna.life is struggling for sustainability in exile. Forced to relocate to the EU, the team lost not only the advertising market but also direct contact with the audience it serves. They saved themselves from prison but lost the opportunity to breathe the same air as their readers – and this is crucial for local media like theirs.
Iryna Khalip is a prominent Belarusian journalist who has spent her career exposing corruption and human rights abuses, often at great personal risk. Her investigative reporting on political and social issues in Belarus has made her a target of state persecution. Since going into exile in 2020, Khalip has continued her reporting for the Latvia-based Novaya Gazeta Europe.
In this article by Diana Shahbazyan, Belarusian journalists in exile share their struggles to continue their work amidst oppression, censorship, and financial uncertainty. With more than 30 journalists imprisoned and media outlets branded ‘extremist,’ these exiled professionals are determined to keep informing the world, even as they face increasing risks and challenges.
Belarusian dictator Lukashenko declared himself the victor in the country’s latest so-called presidential elections on Jan. 26, in which no political opposition was allowed to take part. Exiled journalists, including Hanna Komar, Kseniya Halubovich, and Alina Rudina, shared their insights with the Kyiv Independent on the state of press freedom in Belarus following the election.
After stealing Belarus’s 2020 presidential election, Lukashenko forced many independent media organizations into exile. Among them was Nasha Niva, Belarus’s oldest newspaper and a protector of the country’s unique language and culture. Matt Hooper tells the story of Nasha Niva’s struggle to maintain Belarusian identity and journalistic integrity amid Lukashenka’s crackdown.
After the Taliban took power, the journalist Hamed fled Afghanistan with his family – via a German government admission program. The government promised to take in 1,000 particularly vulnerable people, such as journalists, every month. In reality, only a fraction make it.
The Taliban takeover in 2021 ended a period of media flourishing and improving freedom of expression in Afghanistan. The collapse of the Afghan government and the resurgence of authoritarian rule have created an environment of fear and uncertainty within the media community. Independent and diverse non-state media are in danger; many journalists have fled their homeland in search of safety and freedom.
The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization (AJSO) has published its findings from a survey in which 310 Afghan journalists, both in Afghanistan and in exile, participated. The new report mainly focuses on the needs of journalists in capacity building.
Despite many challenges, independent Belarusian media are still uniquely valued by their audiences. The study “Silenced But Resilient: Belarusian Media Since the Revolution of 2020” by JX Fund and The Fix Research and Advisory is giving an overview of Belarusian media in exile since 2020.
From review to recommendations: The Belarusian Association of Journalists released this report, offering an updated overview of the crackdown on civil society and the media in the country.
Independent Afghan newspaper Etilaatroz faces challenges after the Taliban’s return in 2021. Journalists emphasize the importance of international support for press freedom, legal aid, and training.
The Pakistani government plans to deport 1.7 million undocumented Afghans. The international community has called on Pakistan to suspend the deportation plan and provide assistance to refugees.
Two new solidarity centers have been launched by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), with the support of UNESCO.