JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

On World Press Freedom Day, Global Voices turns their attention to the independent outlets operating in exile due to censorship, harassment, or direct threats. One such voice is Muwatin, a London-based independent media outlet reporting on issues from the Arabian Gulf, founded by the editor and researcher Mohammed Al-Fazari.

Mizzima News, an independent media outlet, has continued to report on Myanmar’s struggle for democracy despite the military coup in 2021. After the coup, Mizzima quickly adapted by relocating its operations to remote regions and using satellite broadcasting to bypass junta censorship.

In her article, Mahtab Qolizadeh reflects on the challenges she faces as an exiled Iranian journalist in Berlin. After fleeing Iran to escape imprisonment and torture, she hoped to find freedom and purpose in writing, but instead feels lost and disconnected in her new life. Struggling with isolation and trauma, Qolizadeh grapples with the sense that her freedom lacks meaning, and she is haunted by memories of her imprisonment.

In this special World Press Freedom Day episode of Fellowship Takeaways, a podcast by the Reuters Institute, two exiled journalists speak on covering Russia and Syria from afar. They discuss the challenges of building trust, maintaining sources’ anonymity, the emotional toll of their work and what newsrooms can do better to support journalists in exile.

Protecting journalism in the AI age means adopting it responsibly. This guide is intended as a starting point for ongoing conversations within your organisation on how to use AI while upholding journalistic values—accuracy, fairness, transparency, and accountability. These principles serve as essential pillars for informed communities worldwide, allowing journalism to fulfil its vital role in society.

The Entrepreneurial Journalism Playbook is a practical guide for media leaders to develop a more effective and innovative business mindset. By including real-world case studies from four countries, the Playbook demystifies entrepreneurial journalism, outlines the basics of ‘pitching’ new business ideas and other entrepreneurial tactics, and lays out different funding and financing options, including an investment guide, for media projects.

Arzu Geybullayeva examines the rising crisis of journalism in exile, focusing on Azerbaijani reporters forced to flee growing state repression. As global press freedom declines, Azerbaijan stands out as increasingly hostile to independent media. Exiled journalists, many now in Georgia or Europe, face surveillance, threats to loved ones, and isolation from sources.

Independent media outlets exiled from Myanmar play a vital role in reporting on the civil war to destruction wrought by natural disasters, while influencing the political culture of the resistance. But, as Crisis Group expert Margarite Clarey explains, mounting challenges jeopardise these organisations’ work.

The Burundian media landscape poses immense challenges for journalists in this Central African country. They often receive death threats and work in a virtually permanent state of insecurity. In this article, Jean Sovon speaks with several journalists about the dangerous climate they face – marked by threats, censorship, and exile.

Since Hong Kong’s 2020 National Security Law, hundreds of media workers have gone into exile, founding independent outlets abroad. Global Voices is showcasing three overseas Hong Kong independent media outlets to help readers better understand the resilience of the journalist diaspora in their struggle for press freedom.

Kurdish Journalism Day honors 127 years since the first Kurdish newspaper, marking a legacy of resistance and truth-telling in the face of censorship, exile, and violence. Exiled and local journalists across the Middle East continue the struggle for press freedom, using journalism as both activism and cultural preservation.

This report explores tools, techniques, and legal strategies to erase digital footprints and create a new, lawful identity. Drawing on real-world cases, privacy software, and legal frameworks, it offers a practical guide for journalists, whistleblowers, and dissidents seeking to avoid surveillance.

Turkish journalist Cevheri Güven, living in Germany, continues to face constant threats to his life despite seeking asylum. Under 24/7 police protection, he must inform authorities whenever he leaves home. He also wears a security bracelet, designed to look like a watch, that allows him to send an alert if he faces danger.

The “She Speaks Sudan” initiative has provided a critical platform for training, mentorship, and collaboration. Among its participants is Amal Mohamed Elhassan Ali, a Sudanese journalist now based in Kenya, who continues to document war crimes, human rights violations, and political struggles. In this interview, she reflects on the resilience required to report on Sudan’s conflict.

Since 2018, the Nicaraguan government has shut down or confiscated over 60 media outlets, criminalised independent reporting and accused journalists of conspiracy or “spreading false information.” RSF met with exiled journalists in Costa Rica and calls on the international community to urgently strengthen support for exiled outlets and the journalists behind them.

This guide has been produced with the support of UNESCO, thanks to its Global Media Defence Fund, to assist journalists – and other information professionals – when working with whistleblowers. It provides an accessible breakdown of the applicable legal framework, details the existing protections – and their limits – and offers practical advice on assessing and managing the risks involved in publicising public interest alerts.

Since Sudan’s civil war began in April 2023, over 400 journalists have fled, and at least ten exile media outlets have emerged, mainly in Egypt, to report on the overlooked crisis. These outlets offer crucial coverage of abuses against civilians, while Reporters Without Borders (RSF) denounces the harassment they face in host countries.

Amid funding shortages, AI disruption, and rising threats to press freedom, Latin American journalists are launching innovative projects to rebuild trust and connect with audiences. At the ISOJ 2025 Colloquium, seven media outlets shared how they’re using collaboration and creative storytelling.