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 in Europe, national level, outcome reversed

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
CountryBelarus, RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180Czechia, RSF 2026 rank: 11th of 180Germany, RSF 2026 rank: 14th of 180Hungary, RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180Poland, RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180Portugal, RSF 2026 rank: 10th of 180Russia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180Serbia, RSF 2026 rank: 104th of 180Spain, RSF 2026 rank: 29th of 180United Kingdom, RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180
ContinentEurope
TacticPrior restraint 5Detention and violence 4Insult and defamation laws 3Funding and ownership pressure 2Licensing and closure of outlets 2Shutdowns and blocking 2Credential control 2Official labels 1
StagePressure 1Punish 2Silence 7Eliminate 3
OutcomeReversed 13
LevelNational 13
Head of governmentAdolf HitlerAlexander DubčekAlexander LukashenkoAntónio de Oliveira SalazarEdward HeathFrancisco FrancoMargaret ThatcherMikhail GorbachevSlobodan MilosevicViktor OrbanVladimir PutinWojciech Jaruzelski

13 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
20 December 2023Hungary: National Sovereignty Protection Act and Sovereignty Protection Office, December 2023Hungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Official labelsViktor OrbanReversed (30 June 2026)
29 March 2023Russia: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich sentenced to 16 yearsRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Detention and violenceVladimir PutinReversed (1 August 2024)
8 February 2023Belarus: journalist Andrzej Poczobut sentenced to eight yearsBelarus (RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180)Detention and violenceAlexander LukashenkoReversed (28 April 2026)
8 February 2023Belarus: journalist Andrzej Poczobut is sentenced to eight years for inciting hatredBelarus (RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180)Insult and defamation lawsAlexander LukashenkoReversed (28 April 2026)
20 October 1998Serbia's Public Information Act lets courts fine independent newspapers into financial dangerSerbia (RSF 2026 rank: 104th of 180)Insult and defamation lawsSlobodan MilosevicReversed (1 October 2000)
October 1988United Kingdom bars broadcasters from airing Sinn Féin members' own voicesUnited Kingdom (RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMargaret ThatcherReversed (16 September 1994)
30 August 1986Soviet Union: arrest and seven-week detention of American correspondent Nicholas Daniloff in Moscow, 1986Russia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Detention and violenceMikhail GorbachevReversed (29 September 1986)
13 December 1981Poland's martial law government shuts nearly all newspapers and interns journalists overnightPoland (RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingWojciech JaruzelskiReversed (22 July 1983)
17 November 1972United Kingdom court bars The Sunday Times from publishing an article on thalidomideUnited Kingdom (RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180)Prior restraintEdward HeathReversed (26 April 1979)
21 August 1968Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia is followed by the return of government press controlsCzechia (RSF 2026 rank: 11th of 180)Prior restraintAlexander DubčekReversed (1 November 1989)
April 1938Franco's Spain requires state permission to be a journalist under a wartime Press LawSpain (RSF 2026 rank: 29th of 180)Credential controlFrancisco FrancoReversed (1 April 1977)
4 October 1933Nazi Germany's Editors Law bars Jewish journalists, 1933Germany (RSF 2026 rank: 14th of 180)Credential controlAdolf HitlerReversed (8 May 1945)
1933Portugal's Salazar government formally establishes press controls under a new constitutionPortugal (RSF 2026 rank: 10th of 180)Prior restraintAntónio de Oliveira SalazarReversed (25 April 1974)
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