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: detention and violence, stage: silence

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 180Canada, RSF 2026 rank: 20th of 180Chile, RSF 2026 rank: 70th of 180Myanmar, RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180Philippines, RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180Poland, RSF 2026 rank: 27th of 180South Africa, RSF 2026 rank: 21st of 180South Korea, RSF 2026 rank: 47th of 180Türkiye, RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180
ContinentAfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth America
TacticDetention and violence 11Licensing and closure of outlets 6Shutdowns and blocking 4Prior restraint 4
StageSilence 11
OutcomeSustained 6Reversed 4Ongoing 1
LevelNational 11
Head of governmentAlexander LukashenkoAugusto PinochetBalthazar Johannes VorsterChun Doo-hwanDaniel François MalanFerdinand MarcosMehmed VMin Aung HlaingSaw MaungWilliam Lyon Mackenzie KingWojciech Jaruzelski

11 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
18 May 2021Belarus blocks Tut.by and arrests its editors as 'extremist'Belarus (RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingAlexander LukashenkoSustained
8 March 2021Myanmar junta revokes five outlets' licenses and raids newsrooms after coupMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMin Aung HlaingSustained
18 September 1988Burma's new military government tightens pre-publication press controls after seizing powerMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Prior restraintSaw MaungOngoing (1 January 1989)
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)
31 July 1980South Korea's martial-law government purges journalists who resisted press controlsSouth Korea (RSF 2026 rank: 47th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsChun Doo-hwanReversed (1 June 1987)
19 October 1977South Africa bans The World and Weekend World newspapers and detains editor Percy QobozaSouth Africa (RSF 2026 rank: 21st of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsBalthazar Johannes VorsterSustained (1 March 1978)
11 September 1973Chile's military government shuts opposition radio stations and newspapers after the 1973 coupChile (RSF 2026 rank: 70th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingAugusto PinochetSustained (1 March 1990)
21 September 1972Philippines President Marcos closes every major news outlet under martial lawPhilippines (RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180)Shutdowns and blockingFerdinand MarcosReversed (25 February 1986)
17 July 1950South Africa's Suppression of Communism Act lets the government ban publications and restrict individualsSouth Africa (RSF 2026 rank: 21st of 180)Prior restraintDaniel François MalanReversed (31 July 1991)
3 September 1939Canada: War Measures Act regulations authorize review of hundreds of newspapers and ban political organizationsCanada (RSF 2026 rank: 20th of 180)Prior restraintWilliam Lyon Mackenzie KingSustained (31 December 1945)
9 March 1913Ottoman Empire bars lawmakers and officials from editing newspapers and jails a leading editorTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsMehmed VSustained (9 March 1913)
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