JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

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.

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.

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.

Taha Siddiqui’s haunting, inspired graphic memoir The Dissident Club: The Chronicle of a Pakistani Journalist in Exile follows his early childhood in Saudi Arabia through his career as a dissident journalist and exile from his native Pakistan. Trevor Corkum interviewed him to understand why he chose to tell his life story in the form of a graphic memoir.

At the 18th Ibero-American Colloquium on Digital Journalism, speakers highlighted how Nicaraguan journalists have endured nearly a decade of repression under President Daniel Ortega. In her coverage of the event, Silvia Higuera captures their ongoing struggle to report the truth.

Jon Allsop reports on the struggles of exiled Myanmar journalists, who, after the military junta’s crackdown, continue to report from abroad despite dwindling support. He details how recent US funding cuts have further strained these journalists and their outlets, making independent reporting even harder.

At a conference last week in Austin, Texas, exiled Russian journalist Mikhail Rubin told the audience how, in hindsight, there was not enough resistance when press rights began going away in his home country. “We did not resist for the small things,” Rubin said.

Matthew Leake speaks with two Syrian journalists about the country’s transition, exploring press freedom, funding challenges, the influence of news figures, and the media’s role during this pivotal time. Their insights shed light on the evolving landscape of journalism in Syria and the obstacles they face in this critical period.

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.

This article discusses how Pakistani journalists exiled due to threats now influence the media landscape from abroad, leveraging digital platforms like YouTube to provide alternative perspectives and analysis. This “diaspora effect” offers more in-depth coverage of events like the Balochistan train hijacking, contrasting with the sanitized domestic media.

In this article, fifteen editors from around the world, including Ukraine and El Salvador, discuss the impact of cuts in USAID and other funding programs on their newsrooms. They share their experiences and strategies for fighting back, highlighting the challenges and the critical need for support to maintain independent journalism.

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.

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?

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.