JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

How are exiled and hybrid outlets building resilient digitally-enabled outlets? How can these networks be more active in shaping the norms and policies that will shape the digital environment they increasingly depend upon? This lightening-talk panel presents results from CIMA research and a side-line discussion hosted at the ARIJ forum.

This study explores the dual identity of exiled journalists as immigrants adapting to host countries while maintaining ties to their homeland. Based on interviews with Russian exiled journalists and 2023 fieldwork, it offers an approach to understanding exiled media as a mix of connections and disconnections between home and host spaces.

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.

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?

Yablokov and Gatov (2025) explore the challenges faced by Russian journalism in exile in their study, published in Journalism Studies. Based on over 50 interviews with exiled journalists, the study reveals how funding issues, tech reliance, and audience access reflect broader global challenges for exiled media.

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.

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.

Lina Chawaf, founder of Radio Rozana, reflects on Syria’s uncertain future after Assad’s fall. While celebrating his ousting, she voices concerns about the new Islamist regime’s media stance. Her team continues reporting despite risks, navigating a volatile landscape for independent journalism.

Reyhana Masters and Laura Vidal examine how this global scourge is impacting the African and Latin America/Caribbean regions, the specific threat landscape for women journalists, and how those forced to flee can be better supported.

Defying cancer and constant threats, North Korean defector Kim Seongmin broadcasts uncensored news into North Korea, challenging Pyongyang’s grip on information. Through Free North Korea Radio, he inspires hope among those isolated by censorship—even as Kim Jong-un tightens his authoritarian rule.

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.

After 813 days in solitary confinement, Guatemalan journalist Jose Ruben Zamora returns home, committed to exposing corruption despite heavy repression. In this interview, Zamora discusses the ongoing threats to press freedom under Guatemala’s authoritarian regime and his determination to continue the fight.

The Global Directory of Journalist Safety Trainers & Advisors is a searchable database of security professionals with experience and expertise in journalist safety. It has been created to provide the ACOS Alliance community with direct access to safety trainers and advisors around the world, and to help them connect with those who meet specific geographic and thematic safety needs.

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.

“Masters of Manipulation” is an in-depth analysis of the complex strategies used by authoritarian governments to control the media and public perception. This publication brings together the expertise of leading academics and journalists from both countries, Russia and Turkey.

Have you ever struggled to find a tool that does exactly what you need? You are not alone. More than 80 percent of open source researchers that participated in two Bellingcat surveys indicated that finding the right tools can be challenging. This is where Bellingcat’s new Online Investigations Toolkit comes in.

Veteran Chinese journalist Dai Qing, 83, now lives in exile in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where she is working on her forthcoming book “Notes on History”. A prominent critic of the Three Gorges Dam project and a supporter of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Dai now enjoys a quiet life among a community of exiled Chinese intellectuals, reflecting on her past activism while staying informed about China’s current political climate.