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Russia is increasingly branding journalists as “terrorists.” In October 2025, the state labeled Dozhd TV’s editor-in-chief a terrorist; weeks later, two more exiled media figures joined a blacklist alongside ISIS and Navalny’s organization. They are not alone — at least 60 media workers now appear on Russia’s “Terrorist and Extremist” list.
According to Radzivon Biahliak, chairman of the Association of Belarusians in Latvia Supolka, the main achievement of advocacy efforts so far is that Belarusian journalists have remained at LSM+. The Belarusian section’s archive has also been preserved. Additionally, stories covering life and events in the diaspora are regularly published.
Belarusian independent media-in-exile face a unique financial crisis that goes far beyond typical non-profit sustainability challenges. Cut off from their home country since 2020, these outlets face two challenges: their mission has never been more critical, yet their traditional revenue models have completely collapsed.
Authorities in Russia are expanding their surveillance to monitor not just journalists but also the audiences of independent media. This growing crackdown intimidates citizens who access alternative news and complicates efforts by exiled outlets to reach people inside the country, highlighting new risks for both readers and reporters.
This report introduces the previously unknown Spyware ResidentBat used by the Belarussian secret service KGB. It targets Android phones and is installed through physical device access. Broad application permissions and an accessibility service allow the app access to a wide range of data, spanning phone calls, SMS, encrypted messenger chats and files on the phone.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns of Russia’s growing use of in absentia convictions against exiled Russian journalists and foreign media professionals. This repressive legal tactic is used to intimidate journalists, block their return to Russia and pressure their relatives, and has become commonplace since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Defending trustworthy news means knowing how to counter the propaganda tactics that oppose reliable reporting to further ideological goals. To this end, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has published a new report compiling all the content from The Propaganda Monitor, a website dedicated to exposing the way propaganda and disinformation operate so they can be tackled.
A new Russian law – which came into effect in September – punishes online searches for what the government labels ‘extremist content’. But while the Kremlin has published a list of more than 5,000 banned websites, there’s still little clarity surrounding the law’s implementation and what makes the designated content ‘extremist’.
Criminal cases are being opened against independent reporters, editorial offices are declared “extremist formations,” and readers, experts, and sources who cooperate with them face prison. Independent media websites are blocked, budgets are minimal. But despite threats, an information blockade, and financial difficulties, Belarusian journalists remain in the profession and continue reporting on what is really happening in Belarus.
The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) is helping 10 journalists and media workers resettle abroad after their release in Lithuania on 11 September, in a deal brokered by the United States. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins BAJ in condemning the “forcible expulsion” and calls for international solidarity to support those rebuilding their lives outside Belarus and the 28 journalists still behind bars.
In a report on audience strategies, Reuters Institute journalist fellow Maria Kiseleva examines which platforms Russian exiled media use to continue reaching audiences inside the country. The report, which focuses on platform shifts and monetization strategies, also draws on research by the JX Fund.
This Strategic Vision Paper is an essential guide to understanding the Belarusian media in exile. Despite relentless state terror, Belarusian media in exile continue to reach up to 39% of the audience inside the country. A striking 94% of their audience opposes the war in Ukraine – a powerful testament to the influence of independent journalism.
“This is evidence for the future. It’s critical to document these crimes now, even if justice is delayed,” says Maria Zholobova, a Russian journalist in exile and an ICFJ Jim Hoge Reporting Fellow, who investigated how the son of Ukraine’s ousted president allegedly profits from Ukraine’s Russian-occupied territories.
More than 60 exiled Belarusian journalists face criminal charges under opaque “special proceedings” that allow convictions in absentia. Authorities seize property, harass relatives, and label journalists as extremists in a sweeping campaign of transnational repression. Many now self-censor or work anonymously to protect themselves and their families.
If Trump shuts down RFE/RL, thousands of exiled journalists could lose their platform, and Russian-speaking audiences may lose a vital independent news source. RFE/RL’s reporting from hubs like Riga offers rare, high-risk journalism in local languages, countering Kremlin propaganda in ways few other outlets can.
Fifteen editorial teams from independent media outlets and three media organizations have signed an agreement on the self-regulation of the independent media sector, along with the new Code of Conduct for Belarusian Journalists. Around ten other independent publications are considering joining the agreement.
In this article, Izabella Tabarovsky explores how Putin’s war in Ukraine depends on silencing independent media. She examines the struggles of Russian journalists in exile, who, despite immense challenges, are now producing groundbreaking reports and creatively circumventing censorship.
In this interview, investigative journalist Roman Anin, founder of IStories, discusses his work in exile, the risks faced by his team, and the challenges of reporting on corruption and the war in Ukraine. Despite threats, he remains committed to documenting crimes and holding powerful figures accountable.