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Kyrgyzstan’s Preemptive Assault on Investigative Journalism

  • OCCRP
  • Eldiyar Arykbaev

In Kyrgyzstan, authorities are no longer just reacting to stories — they are trying to stop them before they are told, dismantling entire newsrooms and effectively criminalizing journalism. This week, four former employees of Kyrgyzstan’s leading investigative newsroom, Kloop, went on trial in Bishkek, accused of conspiring to “incite mass unrest.”

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How to Change My Identity After Escaping Political Persecution

  • Newstrail
  • Anton Stravinsky

Around the world, countless people are targeted because of their political opinions, activism, or affiliations. They face arrest, surveillance, intimidation, and sometimes even torture or death. For many, fleeing their country is the first step to survival. But once outside of the immediate danger, the question becomes: how can they truly rebuild a life if their old identity continues to expose them to risk?

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Journalism Is Not a Crime!

  • The Reporter

In 2018, the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) ushered in an era of reform, freeing exiled media and releasing imprisoned journalists. Yet the hope that these measures promised a renaissance for journalism was short-lived. Since the outbreak of conflict in Tigray in 2020, the environment has sharply deteriorated.

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As a Journalist in Exile: “Human Rights Are My Compass”

  • Deutschland.de
  • Kim Berg

How the “Journalists in Exile” program strengthens press freedom: Nazeeha Saeed explains why independent journalism should not be taken for granted. Nazeeha Saeed has lived in exile since 2016—first in Paris, now in Berlin. In her home country of Bahrain, she could no longer work as a journalist.

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Damascus: Returning Home after Fourteen Years in Exile

    For fourteen years, the organization operated in secrecy and exile. Team members risked their lives daily, working under bombardment and surveillance, and facing the constant threat of arrest. Three colleagues remain forcibly disappeared to this day — their absence a painful reminder of the price paid for pursuing truth under the former regime.

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    Iran Carries Out Arrests, Executions Amid Israel Conflict

    • BBC Persian

    Iranian authorities have carried out a wave of arrests and multiple executions of people suspected of links to Israeli intelligence agencies, in the wake of the recent war between the two countries. Analysts view these tactics as part of a broader strategy to silence dissent and intimidate exiled media workers.

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    Nicaragua: Exile the Only Option for Journalists

    • RSF

    The systematic and relentless persecution orchestrated by the Ortega-Murillo regime has led to the closure, confiscation, and expulsion of hundreds of independent media outlets and journalists from the country. For many, exile has become the only way to escape censorship, threats, and physical attacks – and to continue reporting.

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    Nicaraguan Journalists Ask Spain For Citizenship

    • LatAm Journalism Review (LJR)
    • Katherine Pennacchio

    After fleeing persecution by Daniel Ortega’s regime, seven Nicaraguan journalists exiled in Costa Rica have been unable to renew their identification documents: Nicaragua refuses them, and Costa Rica has yet to fully recognize them. They are not locked in a terminal, but they have no homeland.

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    The Evolution and Future of Persian Exile Media

    • Iran1400
    • Vafa Mostaghim

    For over four decades, Persian-language media in exile have played an influential, often contentious role in shaping public discourse about Iran. Emerging in response to the silencing of dissent and the monopolization of narratives by the Islamic Republic, these media outlets created a parallel space of dialogue and imagination.

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    Journalism in Exile From Costa Rica: Lucía Pineda Ubau

    • DW Akademie

    Lucía Pineda Ubau is the director of the news channel 100% Noticias and has been living in exile in Costa Rica since 2019. Her homeland, Nicaragua, has been under repressive rule since 2007, when President Daniel Ortega started systematically building an autocratic government, including pressuring political opponents who were increasingly criticizing him.

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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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    Exiled Voices: Defending Press Freedom in Myanmar

    • Global Voices
    • Exile Hub

    Exile Hub is one of Global Voices’ partners in Southeast Asia, emerging in response to the 2021 coup in Myanmar. In this press statement by Exile Hub, the organization underscores the growing importance of press freedom in Myanmar, highlighting the ongoing persecution of journalists who continue to fight for truth and justice despite the oppressive conditions and their forced exile.

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    Creating an Untraceable Identity in the Digital Age

    • Newstrail
    • Francisca Siquera

    This report explores tools, techniques, and legal strategies to erase digital footprints and create a new, lawful identity. Drawing on real-world cases, privacy software, and legal frameworks, it offers a practical guide for journalists, whistleblowers, and dissidents seeking to avoid surveillance.

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    Life Threats Persist for Turkish Journalist Living in Exile

    • Turkish Minute

    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.

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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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    Crisis Spurs Latin American Journalists to Form Alliances

    • Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
    • César López Linares

    Amid funding shortages, AI disruption, and rising threats to press freedom, Latin American journalists are launching innovative projects to rebuild trust and connect with audiences. At the ISOJ 2025 Colloquium, seven media outlets shared how they’re using collaboration and creative storytelling.

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    IJF 2025: What We Learnt About the Future of News

    • Reuters Institute
    • Gretel Kahn, Marina Adami, Matthew Leake, Priscille Biehlmann & Eduardo Suárez

    At this year’s International Journalism Festival, journalists from around the world gathered to discuss the future of journalism. The Reuters Institute has published key takeaways, offering insights into a range of pressing topics, including journalism in exile, local news, reader revenue, news avoidance, and the impact of AI.

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    Nicaraguan Journalism Seeks Allies to Challenge Dictatorship

    • EL PAÍS
    • Néstor Arce, Carlos Herrera & Wilfredo Miranda Aburto

    The founders of the media outlet Divergentes share their struggles in continuing independent journalism from exile. Despite facing immense financial and emotional challenges, they remain committed to exposing the authoritarian regime in Nicaragua.

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