The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

Incidents: detention and violence, national level

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.

29 incidents match this view.

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)
September 5, 2025Serbian police strike, detain and disarm journalists covering anti-government protestsSerbiaDetention and violenceAleksandar VucicOngoing
September 3, 2025Ethiopia arrests at least six journalists including Sheger FM staff over election-year coverageEthiopiaDetention and violenceAbiy AhmedOngoing (September 22, 2025)
March 19, 2025Türkiye: detention, injury and deportation of journalists covering protests, March 2025TürkiyeDetention and violenceRecep Tayyip ErdoğanUnknown (April 2, 2025)
February 3, 2025Journalists beaten in Bangladesh in separate incidents as interim government drafts new cyber lawsBangladeshDetention and violenceMuhammad YunusOngoing
January 16, 2025Tunisia's cybercrime decree pushes jailed-journalist count to highest since 1992TunisiaInsult and defamation lawsKais SaiedSustained
July 28, 2024Venezuela detains, expels and restricts journalists after disputed 2024 electionVenezuelaDetention and violenceNicolas MaduroSustained
November 1, 2023Turkish authorities detain three journalists under 'disinformation' lawTürkiyeInsult and defamation lawsRecep Tayyip ErdoğanOngoing
June 14, 2023Guatemala convicts investigative journalist Jose Ruben Zamora on money-laundering chargeGuatemalaDetention and violenceAlejandro GiammatteiOngoing
November 6, 2021FBI raids Project Veritas founder's home over Ashley Biden diary investigationUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenUnknown
May 19, 2021Belarus blocks Tut.by and arrests its editors as 'extremist'BelarusShutdowns and blockingAlexander LukashenkoSustained
March 8, 2021Myanmar junta revokes five outlets' licenses and raids newsrooms after coupMyanmarLicensing and closure of outletsMin Aung HlaingSustained
July 16, 2020Federal officers restrict press access to Portland protests; judge orders them to stopUnited StatesAccess bansDonald TrumpReversed (July 16, 2020)
October 2, 2018Saudi Arabia's government kills journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside its Istanbul consulateSaudi ArabiaDetention and violenceSalman bin Abdulaziz Al SaudUnknown
September 3, 2018Myanmar sentences two Reuters journalists to seven years under the Official Secrets Act for reporting on a massacreMyanmarSecrets and espionage lawsAung San Suu KyiReversed (May 7, 2019)
December 29, 2013Egypt arrests and later convicts three Al Jazeera journalists on terrorism-related chargesEgyptDetention and violenceAdly MansourReversed (September 23, 2015)
August 18, 2013United Kingdom detains journalist's partner under terrorism law and oversees destruction of Guardian hard drives holding Snowden filesUnited KingdomSurveillance and subpoenasDavid CameronUpheld by a court (January 19, 2016)
July 5, 2010United States charges Army analyst Chelsea Manning under the Espionage Act for leaking to WikiLeaksUnited StatesSecrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaReversed (January 17, 2017)
October 7, 2006Investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya is shot dead in Moscow; a former police officer is later convicted of organizing the killingRussiaDetention and violenceVladimir PutinUpheld by a court (June 9, 2014)
July 1995Nigeria's military government convicts journalists by special tribunal over coup-plot reportingNigeriaDetention and violenceSani AbachaReversed (June 15, 1998)
January 17, 1991United States military restricts reporters to escorted press pools during the Gulf WarUnited StatesAccess bansGeorge H. W. BushSustained (February 28, 1991)
September 18, 1988Burma's new military government tightens pre-publication press controls after seizing powerMyanmarPrior restraintSaw MaungOngoing (January 1, 1989)
December 13, 1981Poland's martial law government shuts nearly all newspapers and interns journalists overnightPolandShutdowns and blockingWojciech JaruzelskiReversed (July 22, 1983)
1981Haiti's Duvalier government arrests and deports Radio Haiti-Inter staff, driving its director into exileHaitiExpulsion and visa denialJean-Claude DuvalierReversed (February 1, 1986)
July 31, 1980South Korea's martial-law government purges journalists who resisted press controlsSouth KoreaLicensing and closure of outletsChun Doo-hwanReversed (June 1, 1987)
March 24, 1976Argentina's military junta threatens journalists with prison for reporting on its opponentsArgentinaDetention and violenceJorge Rafael VidelaReversed (December 10, 1983)
September 11, 1973Chile's military government shuts opposition radio stations and newspapers after the 1973 coupChileShutdowns and blockingAugusto PinochetSustained (March 1, 1990)
September 21, 1972Philippines President Marcos closes every major news outlet under martial lawPhilippinesShutdowns and blockingFerdinand MarcosReversed (February 25, 1986)
March 17, 1950South Africa's Suppression of Communism Act lets the government ban publications and restrict individualsSouth AfricaPrior restraintDaniel François MalanReversed (February 2, 1990)
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