The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

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Incidents: secrets and espionage laws

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.

17 incidents match this view.

Country: United States (11) Hong Kong (1) Zimbabwe (1) Australia (1) Myanmar (1) Egypt (1) Nigeria (1)

Continent: North America (11) Africa (3) Asia (2) Oceania (1)

Tactic: Secrets and espionage laws (17) Detention and violence (5) Surveillance and subpoenas (5) Prior restraint (2) Shutdowns and blocking (2) Licensing and closure of outlets (1) Insult and defamation laws (1)

Outcome: Reversed (8) Sustained (4) Upheld by a court (4) Unknown (1)

Level: National (16) State or province (1)

Head of government: Barack Obama (5) Woodrow Wilson (2) John Lee (1) Emmerson Mnangagwa (1) Scott Morrison (1) Donald Trump (1) Aung San Suu Kyi (1) Adly Mansour (1) George W. Bush (1) Sani Abacha (1) Richard Nixon (1) Franklin D. Roosevelt (1)

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
December 15, 2025China (Hong Kong): conviction and 20-year sentence of the media owner Jimmy Lai under the National Security Law, 2025 to 2026Hong KongDetention and violenceJohn LeeSustained (February 8, 2026)
July 14, 2023Zimbabwe's Patriotic Act criminalizes journalists' contact with foreign governmentsZimbabweSecrets and espionage lawsEmmerson MnangagwaSustained (July 14, 2023)
June 5, 2019Australian Federal Police raid the national broadcaster over reporting on alleged war crimes in AfghanistanAustraliaSurveillance and subpoenasScott MorrisonReversed (October 15, 2020)
May 23, 2019United States indicts WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under the Espionage ActUnited StatesSecrets and espionage lawsDonald TrumpReversed (June 25, 2024)
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)
October 17, 2014United States pursues New York Times reporter James Risen's testimony for years before dropping its demand for his sourceUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaReversed (October 17, 2014)
December 29, 2013Egypt arrests and later convicts three Al Jazeera journalists on terrorism-related chargesEgyptDetention and violenceAdly MansourReversed (September 23, 2015)
October 10, 2013United States: Espionage Act prosecutions of sources for leaks to the press, 2009 to 2013United StatesSecrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaUnknown
May 20, 2013United States search warrant names Fox News reporter James Rosen a possible co-conspirator in a leak caseUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaSustained (July 12, 2013)
January 25, 2013United States prosecutes former CIA officer John Kiriakou under the Espionage Act for identifying a covert colleague to a journalistUnited StatesSecrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaUpheld by a court (February 3, 2015)
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)
July 6, 2005New York Times reporter Judith Miller jailed for refusing to name a confidential source in the Valerie Plame affairUnited StatesSurveillance and subpoenasGeorge W. BushUpheld by a court (September 29, 2005)
July 1995Nigeria's military government convicts journalists by special tribunal over coup-plot reportingNigeriaDetention and violenceSani AbachaReversed (June 15, 1998)
June 15, 1971United States government seeks an injunction to stop The New York Times publishing the Pentagon PapersUnited StatesPrior restraintRichard NixonReversed (June 30, 1971)
December 19, 1941United States creates an Office of Censorship and a wartime code for the pressUnited StatesPrior restraintFranklin D. RooseveltSustained (September 28, 1945)
July 1917United States postmaster bars the magazine The Masses from the mail under the Espionage ActUnited StatesSecrets and espionage lawsWoodrow WilsonUpheld by a court (November 1, 1917)
1917United States Postmaster General Burleson strips the Milwaukee Leader of its mailing rateUnited StatesShutdowns and blockingWoodrow WilsonUpheld by a court (March 7, 1921)
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