The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

Home / Incidents

Incidents, national level, outcome unknown

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.

16 incidents match this view.

Country: United States (6) India (2) Tanzania (2) Türkiye (1) Hungary (1) Saudi Arabia (1) Iran (1) Zimbabwe (1) Malaysia (1)

Continent: Asia (6) North America (6) Africa (3) Europe (1)

Tactic: Surveillance and subpoenas (5) Detention and violence (4) Funding and ownership pressure (3) Insult and defamation laws (2) Access bans (2) Shutdowns and blocking (2) Expulsion and visa denial (2) Prior restraint (2) Licensing and closure of outlets (2) Secrets and espionage laws (1)

Outcome: Unknown (16)

Level: National (16)

Head of government: Donald Trump (3) Narendra Modi (2) Samia Suluhu Hassan (1) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (1) Joe Biden (1) Viktor Orban (1) Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1) John Magufuli (1) Barack Obama (1) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (1) Robert Mugabe (1) Mahathir Mohamad (1) Richard Nixon (1)

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
February 10, 2026India: one-year prison sentence for the journalist Ravi Nair in a criminal defamation case, February 2026IndiaInsult and defamation lawsNarendra ModiUnknown (February 10, 2026)
October 29, 2025Tanzania shuts down internet access on election day amid unrestTanzaniaShutdowns and blockingSamia Suluhu HassanUnknown
May 1, 2025United States: Executive Order 14290 directing an end to federal funding for NPR and PBS, May 2025United StatesFunding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpUnknown
March 19, 2025Türkiye: detention, injury and deportation of journalists covering protests, March 2025TürkiyeDetention and violenceRecep Tayyip ErdoğanUnknown (April 2, 2025)
February 6, 2025Border czar Tom Homan says ICE media ride-alongs may end over leaksUnited StatesAccess bansDonald TrumpUnknown
February 14, 2023Indian tax authorities search BBC offices weeks after Modi documentary banIndiaSurveillance and subpoenasNarendra ModiUnknown
November 6, 2021FBI raids Project Veritas founder's home over Ashley Biden diary investigationUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenUnknown
September 12, 2020Political appointees alter CDC coronavirus guidance before public releaseUnited StatesPrior restraintDonald TrumpUnknown
March 30, 2020Hungary criminalizes false coronavirus information and grants Orban decree powersHungaryInsult and defamation lawsViktor OrbanUnknown
October 2, 2018Saudi Arabia's government kills journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside its Istanbul consulateSaudi ArabiaDetention and violenceSalman bin Abdulaziz Al SaudUnknown
March 16, 2018Tanzania requires bloggers and online publishers to register and pay an annual government feeTanzaniaLicensing and closure of outletsJohn MagufuliUnknown (April 12, 2018)
October 10, 2013United States: Espionage Act prosecutions of sources for leaks to the press, 2009 to 2013United StatesSecrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaUnknown
June 21, 2009Iran expels a BBC correspondent and restricts foreign journalists after a disputed 2009 electionIranExpulsion and visa denialMahmoud AhmadinejadUnknown
March 15, 2002Zimbabwe enacts a law requiring all journalists and media houses to hold government licensesZimbabweLicensing and closure of outletsRobert MugabeUnknown
September 20, 1998Malaysia pressures domestic media and monitors foreign correspondents after arresting former deputy premier Anwar IbrahimMalaysiaSurveillance and subpoenasMahathir MohamadUnknown
September 9, 1971United States: Nixon White House "enemies list" naming journalists, September 1971United StatesSurveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonUnknown
Download this view

CSV, JSON or Markdown. CC BY 4.0; credit "The War On News, thewaronnews.com".

CSVJSONMarkdown

Incidents (RSS)Incidents (Atom)Incidents (JSON Feed)All incidents (CSV)