The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, 1900 to today

Search, from 2020, national level, outcome reversed

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
CountryAustralia, RSF 2026 rank: 33rd of 180Belarus, RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180Hungary, RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180India, RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180MoroccoRussia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180Türkiye, RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
ContinentAfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaOceania
TacticSurveillance and subpoenas 4Detention and violence 3Funding and ownership pressure 2Official labels 2Licensing and closure of outlets 1Prior restraint 1Insult and defamation laws 1Credential control 1Access bans 1
StagePressure 4Punish 5Eliminate 3
OutcomeReversed 12
LevelNational 12
Head of governmentAlexander LukashenkoDonald TrumpJoe BidenNarendra ModiRecep Tayyip ErdoğanSaadeddine OthmaniScott MorrisonViktor OrbanVladimir Putin

12 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
10 July 2026Customs officers seize Grayzone editor's phones at Virginia airport over Iran reportingUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDonald TrumpReversed (17 July 2026)
17 September 2025United States: Federal Communications Commission chairman's remarks and the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, September 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureDonald TrumpReversed (23 September 2025)
March 2024Bombay High Court strikes down India's government 'fact check unit' ruleIndia (RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180)Official labelsNarendra ModiReversed (20 September 2024)
20 December 2023Hungary: National Sovereignty Protection Act and Sovereignty Protection Office, December 2023Hungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Official labelsViktor OrbanReversed (30 June 2026)
29 March 2023Russia: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich sentenced to 16 yearsRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Detention and violenceVladimir PutinReversed (1 August 2024)
8 February 2023Belarus: journalist Andrzej Poczobut sentenced to eight yearsBelarus (RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180)Detention and violenceAlexander LukashenkoReversed (28 April 2026)
8 February 2023Belarus: journalist Andrzej Poczobut is sentenced to eight years for inciting hatredBelarus (RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180)Insult and defamation lawsAlexander LukashenkoReversed (28 April 2026)
19 July 2021Justice Department bars seizing reporters' phone and email recordsUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenReversed (25 April 2025)
1 April 2021Turkiye: the presidency's press card system is found restrictive by the country's top administrative courtTürkiye (RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180)Credential controlRecep Tayyip ErdoğanReversed (1 April 2021)
23 July 2020Federal officers restrict press access to Portland protests; judge orders them to stopUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Access bansDonald TrumpReversed (23 July 2020)
5 July 2020Morocco: investigative journalist Omar Radi's phone is infected with Pegasus spyware and he is later detainedMorocco (RSF rank: not recorded)Surveillance and subpoenasSaadeddine OthmaniReversed (1 July 2024)
15 April 2020Australia's High Court invalidates warrant for raid on journalist Annika SmethurstAustralia (RSF 2026 rank: 33rd of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasScott MorrisonReversed (27 May 2020)
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