{ "title": "Ladder: access bans, in Asia", "canonical_url": "https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/access_ban?continent=asia", "filters": { "continent": "asia" }, "counts_caveat": "The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.", "tactic": { "slug": "access_ban", "name": "Access bans", "definition": "A government or official bars a reporter or a news organisation from places or events where news is gathered: briefings, government buildings, press pools, official trips or court hearings. The ban may be announced, or made by refusing entry without notice. It does not stop publication, but it cuts reporters off from officials and from events that other outlets can still cover.", "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/tactics/access_ban" }, "focal_case": "US", "count": 4, "stages": [ { "stage": "restrict", "name": "Restrict", "definition": "Limiting access or credentials for particular reporters or outlets: bans from briefings or buildings, pool changes, credential revocations, accreditation refusals.", "rungs": [ { "slug": "2026-israel-maintains-ban-on-independent-press-access-to-gaza", "title": "Israel: ban on independent entry of foreign journalists into the Gaza Strip, 2023 to 2026", "occurred_on": "2026-01-07", "occurred_on_precision": "day", "stage": "restrict", "focal_case": false, "country": "IL", "country_name": "Israel", "continent": "asia", "rsf": { "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index", "year": 2026, "rank": 116, "of": 180, "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 116th of 180", "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index" }, "leader_slug": null, "leader_name": null, "what_was_done": "Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, the government of Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territory on the Mediterranean coast between Israel and Egypt, independently; foreign correspondents have entered only on trips escorted by the Israeli…", "outcome": "sustained", "outcome_on": "2026-02-25", "outcome_note": "In effect as of CPJ's report of 2026-02-25; the government asked Israel's Supreme Court in January 2026 to keep the ban.", "ladder_note": null, "sources_count": 3, "tactic_primary": "access_ban", "tactics": [ "access_ban", "expulsion_and_visa_denial" ], "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2026-israel-maintains-ban-on-independent-press-access-to-gaza" } ] }, { "stage": "pressure", "name": "Pressure", "definition": "Using state power short of prosecution to change coverage: regulatory threats, licence reviews, funding cuts, lawsuits by officials, official \"fake news\" or \"foreign agent\" labels, advertising pressure, tax audits.", "rungs": [ { "slug": "2018-philippines-bans-rappler-presidential-palace", "title": "Philippines: a Rappler reporter is barred from the presidential palace", "occurred_on": "2018-02-21", "occurred_on_precision": "day", "stage": "pressure", "focal_case": false, "country": "PH", "country_name": "Philippines", "continent": "asia", "rsf": { "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index", "year": 2026, "rank": 114, "of": 180, "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180", "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index" }, "leader_slug": "rodrigo-duterte", "leader_name": "Rodrigo Duterte", "what_was_done": "President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Rappler reporter Pia Ranada and the outlet's CEO barred from Malacanang Palace, the seat of the Philippine presidency, after the government revoked Rappler's operating license.", "outcome": "unknown", "outcome_on": "2018-02-21", "outcome_note": "The source reviewed reports only the ban taking effect and does not state whether or when it ended.", "ladder_note": "The head of government personally ordered a named outlet's reporters excluded from the seat of government after revoking the outlet's corporate license.", "sources_count": 3, "tactic_primary": "access_ban", "tactics": [ "access_ban" ], "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2018-philippines-bans-rappler-presidential-palace" } ] }, { "stage": "punish", "name": "Punish", "definition": "Legal or physical action against individual journalists or sources: subpoenas and record seizures, prosecutions, arrests, detention, expulsions, visa denials, assault where a government actor is involved.", "rungs": [ { "slug": "1989-china-tiananmen-foreign-journalists-expelled", "title": "China expels foreign journalists and restricts coverage of the Tiananmen Square protests", "occurred_on": "1989-06-14", "occurred_on_precision": "day", "stage": "punish", "focal_case": false, "country": "CN", "country_name": "China", "continent": "asia", "rsf": { "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index", "year": 2026, "rank": 178, "of": 180, "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180", "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index" }, "leader_slug": "li-peng", "leader_name": "Li Peng", "what_was_done": "After declaring martial law in Beijing on May 20, 1989, China's government imposed rigid restrictions on coverage of pro-democracy protests and, following the military's June 3-4 clearing of Tiananmen Square, expelled Associated Press correspondent John Pomfret and Voice of America correspondent Al…", "outcome": "sustained", "outcome_on": "1990-01-01", "outcome_note": "Martial law in Beijing was lifted in January 1990, but broad Chinese government controls on foreign press coverage continued well beyond that date.", "ladder_note": null, "sources_count": 1, "tactic_primary": "expulsion_and_visa_denial", "tactics": [ "access_ban", "expulsion_and_visa_denial" ], "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/1989-china-tiananmen-foreign-journalists-expelled" }, { "slug": "2020-china-expels-three-wsj-journalists-headline", "title": "China: three Wall Street Journal correspondents expelled over an opinion headline", "occurred_on": "2020-02-19", "occurred_on_precision": "day", "stage": "punish", "focal_case": false, "country": "CN", "country_name": "China", "continent": "asia", "rsf": { "index": "RSF World Press Freedom Index", "year": 2026, "rank": 178, "of": 180, "label": "RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180", "source_url": "https://rsf.org/en/index" }, "leader_slug": "xi-jinping", "leader_name": "Xi Jinping", "what_was_done": "China's foreign ministry expelled three Wall Street Journal correspondents and revoked their press credentials after an opinion column, unrelated to their own reporting, used a headline the ministry called offensive.", "outcome": "sustained", "outcome_on": "2020-02-19", "outcome_note": "The three journalists' press credentials were revoked and the expulsion carried out; no reversal is reported in the source reviewed.", "ladder_note": "Working correspondents were expelled from the country over content written by someone outside their newsroom, not barred from one building or event.", "sources_count": 3, "tactic_primary": "access_ban", "tactics": [ "access_ban" ], "url": "https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2020-china-expels-three-wsj-journalists-headline" } ] } ], "downloads": { "csv": "https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/access_ban?continent=asia&format=csv", "json": "https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/access_ban.json?continent=asia", "md": "https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/access_ban.md?continent=asia" }, "license": { "name": "CC BY 4.0", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" } }