The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

The record

Incidents: detention and violence in Asia

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
CountryAzerbaijanBangladesh, RSF 2026 rank: 152nd of 180China, RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180Hong Kong, RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180India, RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180Myanmar, RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180Philippines, RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180Saudi Arabia, RSF 2026 rank: 176th of 180South Korea, RSF 2026 rank: 47th of 180Türkiye, RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180
ContinentAsia
TacticDetention and violence 15Licensing and closure of outlets 4Insult and defamation laws 2Secrets and espionage laws 2Prior restraint 2Expulsion and visa denial 1Surveillance and subpoenas 1Shutdowns and blocking 1
StagePunish 5Silence 5Eliminate 5
OutcomeReversed 5Ongoing 4Unknown 3Sustained 3
LevelNational 14State or province 1
Head of governmentAung San Suu KyiChun Doo-hwanFerdinand MarcosIlham AliyevJohn LeeMehmed VMin Aung HlaingMuhammad YunusNarendra ModiRecep Tayyip ErdoğanRodrigo DuterteSalman bin Abdulaziz Al SaudSaw MaungXi Jinping

15 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
10 February 2026India: one-year prison sentence for the journalist Ravi Nair in a criminal defamation case, February 2026India (RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180)Insult and defamation lawsNarendra ModiUnknown (10 February 2026)
15 December 2025China (Hong Kong): conviction and 20-year sentence of the media owner Jimmy Lai under the National Security Law, 2025 to 2026Hong Kong (RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180)Detention and violenceJohn LeeSustained (8 February 2026)
19 March 2025Türkiye: detention, injury and deportation of journalists covering protests, March 2025Türkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Detention and violenceRecep Tayyip ErdoğanUnknown (2 April 2025)
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
1 November 2023Turkish authorities detain three journalists under 'disinformation' lawTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Insult and defamation lawsRecep Tayyip ErdoğanOngoing
8 March 2021Myanmar junta revokes five outlets' licenses and raids newsrooms after coupMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMin Aung HlaingSustained
14 May 2020China: citizen journalist Zhang Zhan imprisoned for Wuhan reportingChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Detention and violenceXi JinpingOngoing
13 February 2019Philippines: Rappler's Maria Ressa arrested over cyber libel casePhilippines (RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180)Detention and violenceRodrigo DuterteReversed (14 February 2019)
2 October 2018Saudi Arabia's government kills journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside its Istanbul consulateSaudi Arabia (RSF 2026 rank: 176th of 180)Detention and violenceSalman bin Abdulaziz Al SaudUnknown
3 September 2018Myanmar sentences two Reuters journalists to seven years under the Official Secrets Act for reporting on a massacreMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsAung San Suu KyiReversed (7 May 2019)
1 September 2015Azerbaijan: investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova sentenced to 7.5 yearsAzerbaijan (RSF rank: not recorded)Detention and violenceIlham AliyevReversed (25 May 2016)
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)
31 July 1980South Korea's martial-law government purges journalists who resisted press controlsSouth Korea (RSF 2026 rank: 47th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsChun Doo-hwanReversed (1 June 1987)
21 September 1972Philippines President Marcos closes every major news outlet under martial lawPhilippines (RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingFerdinand MarcosReversed (25 February 1986)
9 March 1913Ottoman Empire bars lawmakers and officials from editing newspapers and jails a leading editorTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMehmed VSustained (9 March 1913)
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