The War On News

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

The record

Incidents, stage: punish, national level, outcome upheld by a court

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
CountryHong Kong, RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180United Kingdom, RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180Zimbabwe, RSF 2026 rank: 124th of 180
ContinentAfricaAsiaEuropeNorth America
TacticSurveillance and subpoenas 3Secrets and espionage laws 2Insult and defamation laws 1Detention and violence 1Credential control 1
StagePunish 6
OutcomeUpheld by a court 6
LevelNational 6
Head of governmentBarack ObamaDavid CameronGeorge W. BushJohn LeeRichard NixonRobert Mugabe

6 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
29 August 2024Hong Kong court convicts Stand News editors of seditionHong Kong (RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180)Insult and defamation lawsJohn LeeUpheld by a court (26 September 2024)
18 August 2013United Kingdom detains journalist's partner under terrorism law and oversees destruction of Guardian hard drives holding Snowden filesUnited Kingdom (RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDavid CameronUpheld by a court (19 January 2016)
25 January 2013United States prosecutes former CIA officer John Kiriakou under the Espionage Act for identifying a covert colleague to a journalistUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaUpheld by a court (3 February 2015)
6 July 2005New York Times reporter Judith Miller jailed for refusing to name a confidential source in the Valerie Plame affairUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasGeorge W. BushUpheld by a court (29 September 2005)
12 May 2005Zimbabwe: the High Court refuses to accredit Daily News journalists under the media registration lawZimbabwe (RSF 2026 rank: 124th of 180)Credential controlRobert MugabeUpheld by a court (12 May 2005)
1969United States Supreme Court rules reporters have no privilege to refuse grand jury subpoenasUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonUpheld by a court (29 June 1972)
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