# Incidents, stage: pressure, national level

Each incident is a dated action by a government, an official, a regulator, a court or a legislature that limited journalists' ability to gather or publish news.

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

Filters: country, continent, tactic, stage, from, to, level, actor, leader, outlet, outcome, source_kind, has_case, plus q, sort (date, date_asc, country, tactic, relevance), per_page (up to 100), page and view (table or cards), as query parameters.

41 incidents match this view.

| Date | Incident | Country | Tactic | Head of government | Outcome |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 20 August 2026 | [Kazakhstan: fabricated copyright complaints used against journalists](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2026-kazakhstan-copyright-claims-against-press) | [Kazakhstan](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/kz) (RSF rank: not recorded) | [Lawsuits against the press](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/lawsuits_against_press) | [Kassym-Jomart Tokayev](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/kassym-jomart-tokayev) | Ongoing (20 August 2026) |
| 4 August 2026 | [Russia: law on asset freezes and service denials for exiled "foreign agents", August 2026](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2026-russia-new-law-targets-exiled-journalists-assets) | [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) ([RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-putin) | Sustained (4 August 2026) |
| 28 April 2026 | [Appeals court orders FCC to respond to challenge over 'news distortion' policy](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2026-court-orders-fcc-to-answer-news-distortion-challenge) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Ongoing (28 April 2026) |
| April 2026 | [El Salvador: freeze on assets of shareholders in El Faro's parent company, February to April 2026](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2026-el-salvador-freezes-el-faro-shareholder-assets) | [El Salvador](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/sv) ([RSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180](https://rsf.org/en/country/el-salvador)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Nayib Bukele](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/nayib-bukele) | Sustained (8 May 2026) |
| 17 September 2025 | [United States: Federal Communications Commission chairman's remarks and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, September 2025](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-fcc-pressure-precedes-kimmel-suspension) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Reversed (23 September 2025) |
| 15 September 2025 | [Trump files, then refiles, $15 billion defamation suit against the New York Times](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-trump-sues-new-york-times-15-billion) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Lawsuits against the press](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/lawsuits_against_press) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Ongoing (16 October 2025) |
| 24 July 2025 | [FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger after CBS ombudsman and anti-DEI pledges](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-fcc-approves-paramount-skydance-with-ombudsman-condition) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Sustained (24 July 2025) |
| 18 July 2025 | [Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over Epstein birthday letter story](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-trump-sues-wall-street-journal-epstein-letter) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Lawsuits against the press](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/lawsuits_against_press) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Ongoing |
| 18 July 2025 | [Congress cuts $1.1 billion in federal funding for public broadcasting](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-congress-rescinds-cpb-funding) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Sustained (24 July 2025) |
| 1 July 2025 | [United States: Paramount settlement of Donald Trump's lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview, July 2025](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-paramount-cbs-settle-60-minutes-suit) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Lawsuits against the press](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/lawsuits_against_press) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Sustained (1 July 2025) |
| 1 May 2025 | [United States: Executive Order 14290 directing an end to federal funding for NPR and PBS, May 2025](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-trump-order-ends-cpb-funding-npr-pbs) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Unknown |
| 25 April 2025 | [United States: Department of Justice rescission of rules limiting subpoenas of journalists, April 2025](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-doj-rescinds-media-subpoena-guidelines) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Surveillance and subpoenas](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/surveillance_and_subpoenas) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Sustained (25 April 2025) |
| 22 April 2025 | [60 Minutes executive producer resigns, citing lost editorial independence](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-60-minutes-producer-owens-resigns-loss-of-independence) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Sustained (22 April 2025) |
| 22 January 2025 | [FCC chair reopens 'news distortion' complaints against CBS and NBC](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-fcc-carr-news-distortion-complaints-nbc-cbs) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Ongoing |
| 16 December 2024 | [Trump sues Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer over final Iowa poll](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2024-trump-sues-des-moines-register-selzer-poll) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Lawsuits against the press](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/lawsuits_against_press) | [Donald Trump](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/donald-trump) | Ongoing (10 July 2026) |
| 20 June 2024 | [Slovakia's parliament dissolves public broadcaster RTVS, replaces it with STVR](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2024-slovakia-dissolves-rtvs-creates-stvr) | [Slovakia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/sk) ([RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Licensing and closure of outlets](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/outlet_licensing) | [Robert Fico](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/robert-fico) | Sustained (1 July 2024) |
| 28 May 2024 | [Georgia enacts 'foreign influence' law requiring media to register as foreign-backed](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2024-georgia-foreign-influence-law) | [Georgia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ge) ([RSF 2026 rank: 135th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Irakli Kobakhidze](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/irakli-kobakhidze) | Sustained |
| March 2024 | [Bombay High Court strikes down India's government 'fact check unit' rule](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2024-india-court-strikes-down-fact-check-unit) | [India](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/in) ([RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Narendra Modi](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/narendra-modi) | Reversed (20 September 2024) |
| 20 December 2023 | [Hungary: National Sovereignty Protection Act and Sovereignty Protection Office, December 2023](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2023-hungary-sovereignty-protection-act) | [Hungary](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/hu) ([RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Viktor Orban](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/viktor-orban) | Reversed (30 June 2026) |
| 22 February 2023 | [Turkiye: the broadcast regulator fines and suspends channels for earthquake coverage](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2023-turkiye-rtuk-fines-earthquake-coverage) | [Türkiye](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tr) ([RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Prior restraint](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/prior_restraint) | [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/recep-tayyip-erdogan) | Sustained (22 February 2023) |
| 14 February 2023 | [Indian tax authorities search BBC offices weeks after Modi documentary ban](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2023-india-tax-authorities-raid-bbc-offices) | [India](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/in) ([RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Surveillance and subpoenas](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/surveillance_and_subpoenas) | [Narendra Modi](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/narendra-modi) | Unknown |
| 9 March 2022 | [Belarus: Deutsche Welle and other outlets labeled 'extremist'](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2022-belarus-labels-dw-extremist) | [Belarus](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/by) ([RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Alexander Lukashenko](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/alexander-lukashenko) | Sustained (9 March 2022) |
| 23 April 2021 | [Russia: independent outlet Meduza designated a 'foreign agent'](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2021-russia-designates-meduza-foreign-agent) | [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) ([RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-putin) | Sustained (23 April 2021) |
| 1 April 2021 | [Turkiye: the presidency's press card system is found restrictive by the country's top administrative court](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2021-turkiye-press-card-controls-restrictive) | [Türkiye](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tr) ([RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Credential control](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/credential_control) | [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/recep-tayyip-erdogan) | Reversed (1 April 2021) |
| 24 July 2020 | [Hungary: editor fired and staff resign at Index.hu](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2020-hungary-index-hu-editor-fired) | [Hungary](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/hu) ([RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Viktor Orban](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/viktor-orban) | Sustained (24 July 2020) |
| 22 March 2019 | [Egypt: media law used to fine and block news site al-Mashhad](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2019-egypt-media-law-blocks-al-mashhad) | [Egypt](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/eg) ([RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Abdel Fattah el-Sisi](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/abdel-fattah-el-sisi) | Unknown (7 May 2019) |
| 7 March 2019 | [Russia: new laws penalize online "fake news" and "disrespecting authorities"](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2019-russia-fake-news-disrespect-law) | [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) ([RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-putin) | Sustained (7 March 2019) |
| 26 October 2018 | [Russia: outlet fined $338,000 under the foreign agents law](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2018-russia-fines-the-new-times) | [Russia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ru) ([RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Lawsuits against the press](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/lawsuits_against_press) | [Vladimir Putin](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/vladimir-putin) | Ongoing (26 October 2018) |
| October 2018 | [Egypt: a license requirement leaves an independent news site unable to operate legally for years](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2018-egypt-scmr-license-requirement-al-manassa) | [Egypt](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/eg) ([RSF 2026 rank: 169th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Prior restraint](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/prior_restraint) | [Abdel Fattah el-Sisi](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/abdel-fattah-el-sisi) | Ongoing (26 October 2020) |
| 16 March 2018 | [Tanzania requires bloggers and online publishers to register and pay an annual government fee](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2018-tanzania-online-content-regulations) | [Tanzania](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/tz) ([RSF 2026 rank: 117th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Licensing and closure of outlets](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/outlet_licensing) | [John Magufuli](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/john-magufuli) | Unknown (12 April 2018) |
| 21 February 2018 | [Philippines: a Rappler reporter is barred from the presidential palace](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2018-philippines-bans-rappler-presidential-palace) | [Philippines](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ph) ([RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Access bans](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/access_ban) | [Rodrigo Duterte](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/rodrigo-duterte) | Unknown (21 February 2018) |
| February 2017 | [Malta: minister orders reporter's bank account frozen](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2017-malta-freezes-caruana-galizia-account) | [Malta](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/mt) (RSF rank: not recorded) | [Lawsuits against the press](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/lawsuits_against_press) | [Joseph Muscat](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/joseph-muscat) | Unknown |
| 31 December 2015 | [Poland's new government gains power to replace public broadcaster leadership, and journalists are dismissed](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2015-poland-public-media-law-firings) | [Poland](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/pl) ([RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Beata Szydlo](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/beata-szydlo) | Sustained (31 December 2019) |
| September 2013 | [Vietnam: Decree 72 restricts blogs to personal information](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2013-vietnam-decree-72-restricts-blogs) | [Viet Nam](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/vn) (RSF rank: not recorded) | [Official labels](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/disinformation_labeling) | [Nguyen Tan Dung](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/nguyen-tan-dung) | Sustained (1 September 2013) |
| 25 June 2013 | [Ecuador's Organic Communication Law creates a regulator that issues hundreds of sanctions against journalists and outlets](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2013-ecuador-communications-law-supercom) | [Ecuador](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/ec) ([RSF 2026 rank: 125th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Rafael Correa](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/rafael-correa) | Reversed (20 February 2019) |
| 21 December 2010 | [Hungary's parliament gives a government-appointed media council power to fine outlets for unbalanced coverage](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2010-hungary-media-law-content-authority) | [Hungary](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/hu) ([RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Funding and ownership pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/funding_and_ownership_pressure) | [Viktor Orban](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/viktor-orban) | Sustained (1 January 2011) |
| 15 March 2002 | [Zimbabwe enacts a law requiring all journalists and media houses to hold government licenses](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2002-zimbabwe-aippa-media-licensing) | [Zimbabwe](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/zw) ([RSF 2026 rank: 124th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Licensing and closure of outlets](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/outlet_licensing) | [Robert Mugabe](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/robert-mugabe) | Unknown |
| 20 September 1998 | [Malaysia pressures domestic media and monitors foreign correspondents after arresting former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1998-malaysia-anwar-arrest-press-restrictions) | [Malaysia](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/my) ([RSF 2026 rank: 95th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Surveillance and subpoenas](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/surveillance_and_subpoenas) | [Mahathir Mohamad](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/mahathir-mohamad) | Unknown |
| 9 September 1971 | [United States: Nixon White House "enemies list" naming journalists, September 1971](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1971-nixon-white-house-compiles-enemies-list) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Surveillance and subpoenas](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/surveillance_and_subpoenas) | [Richard Nixon](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/richard-nixon) | Unknown |
| 16 August 1971 | [Nixon White House compiles an enemies list naming journalists for official pressure](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1971-us-nixon-enemies-list) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Surveillance and subpoenas](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/surveillance_and_subpoenas) | [Richard Nixon](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/richard-nixon) | Reversed (27 June 1973) |
| 19 December 1941 | [United States creates an Office of Censorship and a wartime code for the press](https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1941-us-office-of-censorship-wartime-press-code) | [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) ([RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180](https://rsf.org/en/index)) | [Prior restraint](https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/prior_restraint) | [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/franklin-d-roosevelt) | Sustained (28 September 1945) |

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