The record
Incidents: shutdowns and blocking 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
India: Gaon Savera's Facebook and X accounts blocked
India blocked independent news outlet Gaon Savera's Facebook page and X account nationwide just before a workers' convention it planned to cover, without a public explanation from the government.
Shutdowns and blocking · Stage Silence · Head of government Narendra Modi · Unknown
Myanmar: military cuts mobile internet after seizing power
After seizing power on February 1, 2021, Myanmar's military cut mobile data service nationwide, leaving reporters in rural townships and Rakhine State unable to send news and blocking large areas from outside communication for months.
Shutdowns and blocking · Stage Silence · Head of government Min Aung Hlaing · Ongoing
Iran: near-total internet shutdown during fuel-price protests
Iran cut internet connectivity to about five percent of normal levels nationwide for nearly a week during protests over fuel prices, while arresting at least eleven journalists, including one detained for reporting on the shutdown itself.
Shutdowns and blocking · Stage Silence · Head of government Hassan Rouhani · Reversed
India imposes a communications blackout in Jammu and Kashmir after revoking the region's special status
As it revoked Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional autonomy, India's government cut broadband, mobile internet, text messaging and phone service across the region, leaving local journalists unable to file stories, verify information or commu…
Shutdowns and blocking · Stage Silence · Head of government Narendra Modi · Ongoing
Iran expels a BBC correspondent and restricts foreign journalists after a disputed 2009 election
After Iran's disputed June 2009 presidential election produced mass protests, the government expelled BBC correspondent Jon Leyne, revoked foreign press credentials, confined most foreign journalists to office-based reporting, and blocked…
Expulsion and visa denial · Stage Punish · Head of government Mahmoud Ahmadinejad · Unknown
Philippines President Marcos closes every major news outlet under martial law
President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, and the next day ordered the military to take over nearly every newspaper, radio and television station in the Philippines, jailing prominent publishers and editors and…
Shutdowns and blocking · Stage Silence · Head of government Ferdinand Marcos · Reversed
Incidents (RSS)Incidents (Atom)Incidents (JSON Feed)All incidents (CSV)