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.

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.

This paper by Diana Shahbazyan aims to provide a comprehensive needs analysis of exiled journalists from Belarus and Russia. The findings provide an understanding of the key issues affecting exiled journalists and media organizations, and outline both their immediate needs and primary action points.

This study investigates the experiences of 103 Russian journalists who left their country after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It examines their professional environment, values, and roles as they continue their work abroad, focusing on maintaining journalistic integrity while navigating new political and cultural challenges, and the intersection of journalism and activism.

This study explores the role of exiled Egyptian journalists in Türkiye, emphasizing their attempts to establish legitimacy and a professional identity that sets them apart from mainstream media. This analysis highlights the complexities of exiled journalism as it seeks to balance professional aspirations with the realities of political affiliations and conflicts.

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.