JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

The sports outlet «Tribuna» is actively expanding its network of apps and services – cutting-edge not just for Belarus, but for the entire region. Belarusian Association of Journalists spoke with Tribuna’s director, Maksim Berazinski, about how modern technologies are being integrated into their journalistic and editorial work.

The Media & Journalism Research Center has published a study on Media Regulation, Government and Policy in Russia. It explains the core principles of media regulation in Russia and the various forms of censorship that the Russian political system has introduced and refined over the past decades, profiles several key influencers in the Russian media policy and provides context on the country’s media policy.

Research by the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) identified four key elements that lead to media capture as part of a matrix designed to study the phenomenon. These elements include control of media regulation, control of public media, use of state funds as a means of media control, and acquisition of private media outlets by businesses linked to the government.

As Vladimir Putin’s regime tightens its grip on free speech, the Russian Independent Media Archive (RIMA) is stepping up to preserve endangered journalism. With backing from PEN America and Bard College, RIMA safeguards independent media, ensuring critical journalism outlasts authoritarian attempts to erase it.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the Russian regime has targeted journalists on the frontlines with deliberate attacks, leading to numerous deaths and injuries among women reporters. This campaign of terror aims to suppress independent reporting and obscure the realities of the conflict.

This report challenges the claims that there is no civil society to speak of inside the Russian Federation and that most of its activists are now in exile. A significant number of independent and democratically oriented initiatives and organizations continue to operate throughout the country to address societal issues through civic engagement. These should be acknowledged.

A new generation of Russian writers in exile is reviving Soviet-era tactics to outsmart Putin’s censorship. Through digital publishing, they’re documenting the war in Ukraine and government repression, reaching thousands back home with uncensored stories Russian authorities try to suppress.

In “Navigating Digital Sovereignty: A Comparative Analysis of Internet Regulation in Russia and China,” the researchers delve into the intricate web of policies and technologies that define how two global powers control and manage their digital landscapes. This exploration sheds light on the Sovereign Internet Law of Russia and the Great Firewall of China, two landmark strategies aimed at asserting digital sovereignty.

The role of journalism in authoritarian and conflict-affected regions remains as crucial as it has ever been. While technological advances provide new opportunities for newsgathering, there are still plenty of pitfalls for those who are trying to convey the truth.

FRF Think Tank presents a policy brief addressing the situation of Russian citizens seeking protection in the EU, set against the backdrop of a severely deteriorating human rights situation in Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

As Russian independent media continues to face severe censorship following the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Independent Media Archive (RIMA) is stepping in to preserve critical journalism for future generations. Co-founded by renowned journalist Masha Gessen and historian Ilia Venyavkin, RIMA aims to protect the work of over 55 independent media outlets from disappearing under the weight of state repression.

With beabee for media in exile, funded by MIZ Babelsberg, a team from German independent newsroom CORRECTIV and Russian podcast platform Radio Sakharov set out to develop a membership and community platform designed especially for the needs of media in exile. Using the existing open source platform beabee, the team implemented additional features to enhance security for users in countries like Russia and facilitate (anonymous) engagement.

Russia’s censorship following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine not only led to the blocking of numerous independent Russian media outlets but also social media platforms popular with their audiences. For the Fix Veronica Snoj wrote down how exiled publishers serve audiences on new platforms and educate them on tools to bypass censorship.

As an exiled media outlet addressing Russian audiences, Meduza quickly fell under the Kremlin’s radar. It became one of the first media outlets the Russian authorities added to its “foreign agent” list in April 2021. For The Fix Veronica Snoj took a look at the tools the Latvia-based media outlet uses to reach its audiences in Russia.

A third of the victims of Russia’s “foreign agents” law are independent media, which makes them the primary target of this legislation — and highlights their systematic legal persecution. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has analysed the Ministry of Justice’s blacklists of “foreign agents” and “undesirable organisations” – which are used as tools of censorship – and condemns the stigmatisation of independent media as a fifth column.

The legal basis for combating independent media and media professionals in Russia emerged in the 2010s. In the 2020s, the state significantly expanded its options for repression. Media outlets and individuals were declared foreign agents and the number of cases against media professionals based on extremism paragraphs increased. This report provides an overview of the latest developments.

According to a survey of Russian media professionals in exile, most of them do not live in the EU but in other countries (Georgia, Armenia, Central Asia, Serbia, etc.) despite the high risks due to a lack of legal options and insufficient financial resources. On behalf of RSF, the Russian human rights organization Mass Media Defence Center has prepared an analysis of the situation of independent journalists from Russia in exile.

The survival of exiled media relies on the survival of media professionals, emphasizing the importance of protecting journalists’ rights to practice their profession securely. A research report by the Exile Hub now sheds light on the critical situation of exiled women journalists from Myanmar.