The War On News

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

Search: licensing and closure of outlets, from 2020, national level

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
CountryArgentina, RSF 2026 rank: 98th of 180Cambodia, RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180Ethiopia, RSF 2026 rank: 148th of 180Hong Kong, RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180Hungary, RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180Myanmar, RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180Pakistan, RSF 2026 rank: 153rd of 180Russia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180Slovakia, RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180
ContinentAfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth America
TacticLicensing and closure of outlets 10Funding and ownership pressure 3Detention and violence 2Official labels 1
StagePressure 2Punish 2Silence 6
OutcomeSustained 7Reversed 1Ongoing 1Upheld by a court 1
LevelNational 10
Head of governmentAbiy AhmedCarrie LamDonald TrumpHun SenJavier MileiMin Aung HlaingRobert FicoShehbaz SharifViktor OrbanVladimir Putin

10 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
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)
3 September 2025Ethiopia arrests at least six journalists including Sheger FM staff over election-year coverageEthiopia (RSF 2026 rank: 148th of 180)Detention and violenceAbiy AhmedOngoing (22 September 2025)
29 January 2025Pakistan amends cybercrime law to create new agency policing 'fake' online contentPakistan (RSF 2026 rank: 153rd of 180)Official labelsShehbaz SharifSustained
20 June 2024Slovakia's parliament dissolves public broadcaster RTVS, replaces it with STVRSlovakia (RSF 2026 rank: 37th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsRobert FicoSustained (1 July 2024)
4 March 2024Milei's government shuts down Argentina's state news agency TelamArgentina (RSF 2026 rank: 98th of 180)Funding and ownership pressureJavier MileiSustained
13 February 2023Cambodia: Prime Minister Hun Sen orders Voice of Democracy's license revoked over one articleCambodia (RSF 2026 rank: 151st of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsHun SenSustained (13 February 2023)
5 September 2022Russia: a Moscow court suspends Novaya Gazeta's print licenseRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsVladimir PutinSustained (5 September 2022)
24 June 2021China (Hong Kong): Apple Daily closes after its assets are frozen under the national security lawHong Kong (RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsCarrie LamSustained (24 June 2021)
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
14 February 2021Hungary: Klubradio loses its terrestrial broadcast license over its tender applicationHungary (RSF 2026 rank: 74th of 180)Licensing and closure of outletsViktor OrbanUpheld by a court (1 September 2021)
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