Search: secrets and espionage laws in Asia, from 2020
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
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CountryChina, RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180Hong Kong, RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180Iran, RSF 2026 rank: 177th of 180Viet Nam
ContinentAsia
StageEliminate 4
| Date | Incident | Country | Tactic | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 December 2025 | China (Hong Kong): conviction and 20-year sentence of the media owner Jimmy Lai under the National Security Law, 2025 to 2026 | Hong Kong (RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180) | Detention and violence | John Lee | Sustained (8 February 2026) |
| November 2024 | China: editor Dong Yuyu is sentenced to seven years for espionage over meals with a diplomat | China (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180) | Secrets and espionage laws | Xi Jinping | Ongoing (1 November 2024) |
| 17 January 2024 | Iran: journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi are sentenced to 13 and 12 years | Iran (RSF 2026 rank: 177th of 180) | Secrets and espionage laws | Ebrahim Raisi | Ongoing (17 January 2024) |
| 14 December 2021 | Vietnam: journalist Pham Doan Trang is sentenced to nine years for anti-state "propaganda" | Viet Nam (RSF rank: not recorded) | Secrets and espionage laws | Nguyen Xuan Phuc | Sustained (14 December 2021) |