JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

For more than a quarter century, elPeriódico was Guatemala’s boldest daily newspaper. Then, citing persecution and political and economic pressures, in May 2023, the newspaper announced it was shutting its doors. Although the closure of elPeriódico is final, the outlet’s contributions to history are now once again accessible.

Ken Bensinger and Benjamin Mullin report for The New York Times on how exiled investigative journalists worldwide are struggling after a sudden cut in U.S. government funding, causing financial instability and uncertainty for many independent newsrooms.

Silvia Higuera discusses the uncertainty faced by Latin American journalists in the US due to tightening immigration policies. She highlights the impact of the Trump administration’s actions, including the elimination of programs like Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

Kate Lamb and Rebecca Ratcliffe describe the challenges faced by Myanmar journalists in Mae Sot. Myanmar journalists in exile explain how Trump’s USAid spending freeze has impacted independent media funding.

The displacement of millions of Ukrainians due to Russia’s invasion is a defining challenge for Ukraine’s identity, economy, and global presence. The Wilson Center explores the war’s impact on Ukraine’s media and exiled communities, highlighting the resilience of independent journalism.

Ten years ago, Borhan Akid had to flee from Syria—head over heels, away from his family, away from Damascus. He traveled through Greece to Germany, where he ended up in Cologne, learned German, and became a journalist at WDR. Now—after the fall of dictator Assad—he feels drawn back. How does it feel to be in his old homeland?

After the fall of the Assad regime, three Syrian journalists in exile speak with iMEdD about the challenges and opportunities of independent journalism in Syria, navigating an unstable and uncharted media landscape. They interview Lina Chawaf, CEO of Radio Rozana; Mohammed Bassiki, exiled journalist and SIRAJ co-founder; and Zaina Erhaim, who trains women journalists in the Middle East.

Cuban journalist José Luis Tan Estrada boarded a plane in Havana last December because he thought exile was the only way to continue his career and protect his family. It was his first time on an airplane.

Global Voices interviewed over email Kay, Exile Hub’s communications officer, who was among those who attended the 2024 Global Voices citizen media summit in Nepal. She summed up what Exile Hub is doing to help empower critical voices in Myanmar.

President Donald Trump has frozen billions of dollars around the world in aid projects, including over $268 million allocated by Congress to support independent media and the free flow of information. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) denounces this decision, which has plunged NGOs, media outlets, and journalists doing vital work into chaotic uncertainty.

In Haiti, journalism is a high-risk profession. Many Haitian journalists have chosen exile in the face of the social, political, economic and security crisis that affects their country. Three journalists who left Haiti to save their lives  explained to LatAm Journalism Review (LJR) what it means to be a Haitian journalist in exile.

A new comprehensive article by researcher Sheila B. Lalwani exposes how spyware is increasingly being used to target journalists worldwide, including those in exile. This growing digital threat fuels concerns about surveillance, self-censorship, and the further erosion of press freedom.

Kyaw Min Swe, the former editor-in-chief of weekly newspaper Aasan (The Voice) and executive director of the Myanmar Journalism Institute, has been a journalist for more than 25 years. He had been detained before, but this time was different. Index traveled to Germany to meet exiled newspaper editor Kyaw, who faced torture and imprisonment at the hands of the military junta.

Journalists Wendy Quintero Chávez and Lucía Pineda Ubau shed light on the harsh realities of systemic torture, rigged elections, and the fight for press freedom in Nicaragua. Since 2018, over 350 lives have been lost, 56 media outlets banned, and 900+ exiled. Despite facing threats and violence, they continue to fight for truth and the right to report freely, even from exile.

For nearly 20 years, Zamaneh Media has bridged the gap in one of the world’s most repressive information ecosystems: Iran. Operating from the Netherlands, the outlet delivers critical reporting on human rights, politics, and culture to audiences inside Iran, overcoming censorship, threats, and digital attacks.

Chinese dissident Lu Yuyu’s perilous escape from China reveals the high stakes of documenting unrest under an authoritarian regime. Once jailed for exposing protests, Lu now rebuilds his life in Canada while navigating China’s growing digital censorship.

Eleven years since she was forced to flee the country, BBC Middle East correspondent Lina Sinjab returns to Syria to be one of the first journalists for a western news network broadcasting from Damascus after the fall of the Assad regime.