The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, 1900 to today

The record

Incidents in Asia, outcome ongoing

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.

All filters: country, dates, head of government, sort
CountryBangladesh, RSF 2026 rank: 152nd of 180China, RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180India, RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180Iran, RSF 2026 rank: 177th of 180Israel, RSF 2026 rank: 116th of 180KazakhstanMyanmar, RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180Philippines, RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180Türkiye, RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180
ContinentAsia
TacticDetention and violence 4Lawsuits against the press 3Secrets and espionage laws 2Insult and defamation laws 2Shutdowns and blocking 2Prior restraint 2Surveillance and subpoenas 1Credential control 1
StagePressure 1Punish 6Silence 4Eliminate 3
OutcomeOngoing 14
LevelNational 14
Head of governmentDavid Ben-GurionEbrahim RaisiKassym-Jomart TokayevMin Aung HlaingMuhammad YunusNarendra ModiRecep Tayyip ErdoğanRodrigo DuterteSaw MaungXi Jinping

14 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
20 August 2026Kazakhstan: fabricated copyright complaints used against journalistsKazakhstan (RSF rank: not recorded)Lawsuits against the pressKassym-Jomart TokayevOngoing (20 August 2026)
3 February 2025Journalists beaten in Bangladesh in separate incidents as interim government drafts new cyber lawsBangladesh (RSF 2026 rank: 152nd of 180)Detention and violenceMuhammad YunusOngoing
November 2024China: editor Dong Yuyu is sentenced to seven years for espionage over meals with a diplomatChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsXi JinpingOngoing (1 November 2024)
20 August 2024Kazakhstan: new accreditation rules let officials withdraw a journalist's pass for off-topic questionsKazakhstan (RSF rank: not recorded)Credential controlKassym-Jomart TokayevOngoing (3 September 2024)
17 January 2024Iran: journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi are sentenced to 13 and 12 yearsIran (RSF 2026 rank: 177th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsEbrahim RaisiOngoing (17 January 2024)
1 November 2023Turkish authorities detain three journalists under 'disinformation' lawTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Insult and defamation lawsRecep Tayyip ErdoğanOngoing
22 January 2022Turkiye: journalist Sedef Kabas is arrested for a proverb about President ErdoganTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Insult and defamation lawsRecep Tayyip ErdoğanOngoing (22 June 2023)
14 January 2022Turkiye: journalist Sedef Kabas tried for insulting the presidentTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Lawsuits against the pressRecep Tayyip ErdoğanOngoing (22 June 2023)
February 2021Myanmar: military cuts mobile internet after seizing powerMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingMin Aung HlaingOngoing (3 May 2021)
15 June 2020Philippines: Maria Ressa convicted of cyber libelPhilippines (RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180)Lawsuits against the pressRodrigo DuterteOngoing (15 June 2020)
14 May 2020China: citizen journalist Zhang Zhan imprisoned for Wuhan reportingChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Detention and violenceXi JinpingOngoing
5 August 2019India imposes a communications blackout in Jammu and Kashmir after revoking the region's special statusIndia (RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingNarendra ModiOngoing (5 August 2020)
18 September 1988Burma's new military government tightens pre-publication press controls after seizing powerMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Prior restraintSaw MaungOngoing (1 January 1989)
1948Israel retains a British-era law giving the military the power to review and restrict the pressIsrael (RSF 2026 rank: 116th of 180)Prior restraintDavid Ben-GurionOngoing (1 January 1989)
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