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Podcast “Without Notebook and Pencil”: Journalists in Exile

  • DJV NRW

In this DJV-podcast episode, host Sascha Fobbe speaks with Heba Alkadri and Ahmad Shihabi about the challenges journalists with migration backgrounds face. They discuss learning German, pursuing journalism, and representing their communities. Both share their experiences from Syria, the impact of Assad’s fall, and struggles tied to refugee policies in Germany.

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Sudan: A Voice Amidst Conflict

  • Thomson Foundation

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.

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A Roadmap to Protect Independent Journalism Worldwide

  • Inter-American Dialogue

A February 2025 report from the Inter‑American Dialogue outlines a comprehensive roadmap for protecting independent journalism in closed and repressive environments. Drawing on insights from media practitioners and experts, it sets out strategies to strengthen legal guarantees, sustainability, safety and resilience, offering actionable ideas to support journalists and news outlets under threat at home or in exile.

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Documentary: Back to Syria

  • WDR

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?

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Editor in exile: One journalist’s daring escape from Myanmar

  • Index on Censorship
  • Ian Wylie

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.

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Bypassing Censorship to Reach Audiences in Iran

  • ijnet
  • Devin Windelspecht, Stratton Marsh

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.

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Activist and Blogger Lu Yuyu On Escaping China

  • The Guardian
  • Amy Hawkins

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.

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On Sustainability for Exiled Newsrooms

  • ICFJ
  • Caro Gaston

José J. Nieves is developing resources to help newsrooms in exile plan for a sustainable future. Originally from Cuba, Nieves has been running his independent media platform El Toque from exile since 2019.

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A North Korean Voice That Kim Jong-un Would Like to Silence

  • The New York Times
  • Choe Sang-Hun

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.

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“Journalists Will Continue Their Work Despite Repression”

  • Confidecial / Havana Times
  • Carlos F. Chamorro

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.

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How Editors Manage Their Newsrooms From Exile

  • Reuters Institute
  • Gretel Kahn

Finding revenue, repelling attacks and protecting sources: Media leaders from Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Belarus and El Salvador open up about leading organisations that report on their countries from afar.

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AI-Powered Currency Rates Reshape Cuba’s Economic Landscape

  • Nieman Lab
  • Andrew Deck

In Cuba’s economic crisis, the exiled independent news outlet El Toque has transformed into a vital resource for currency exchange information. With an AI-powered dashboard, it provides real-time rates that challenge government narratives, gaining popularity and user trust amid increasing censorship and political pressure.

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Myanmar: Media Experimenting with Business Models

  • Media Development Investment Fund

The Business of Independent Myanmar Media Post-Coup: Experimenting with business models inside the country and in exile examines the ways in which independent media businesses have responded to, and been changed by, the 1 February 2021 military coup, and the business opportunities they have seized in its wake.

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Chinese Journalist Dai Qing’s Quiet Life in Exile

  • Radio Free Asia

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.

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Latin American Journalists in Exile Share Strategies

  • LatAm Journalism Review
  • Silvia Higuera

Exiled journalists in Latin America face growing challenges, from economic instability to threats against their safety. Cuban journalist José Nieves is tackling this crisis with innovative strategies for media sustainability. His podcast “Hablando en Plata” offers insights into financial survival and resilience for independent media in hostile environments.

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Media in Exile is Defeating Censorship

  • Confidencial
  • Carlos F. Chamorro

In Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, exiled reporters are not just surviving, they’re innovating. Despite crackdowns, they’re finding new ways to keep independent journalism alive, earning the 2024 IAPA Press Freedom Prize for their bold defiance of censorship.

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Access Denied: Newsgathering in Repressive Regimes

  • Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
  • Osamah Golpy

The role of journalism in authoritarian and conflict-affected regions remains as crucial as it has ever been. While technological advances provide new opportunities for newsgathering, there are still plenty of pitfalls for those who are trying to convey the truth.

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