The War On News

How governments have limited journalists, 1900 to today.

Search: surveillance and subpoenas, national level

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

19 incidents match this view.

Country: Australia, RSF 2026 rank: 33rd of 180 Bangladesh, RSF 2026 rank: 152nd of 180 India, RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180 Malaysia, RSF 2026 rank: 95th of 180 United Kingdom, RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180 United States, RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180

Continent: Asia Europe North America Oceania

Tactic: Surveillance and subpoenas (19) Secrets and espionage laws (5) Detention and violence (3) Funding and ownership pressure (2) Prior restraint (1)

Stage: Pressure (5) Punish (14)

Outcome: Reversed (6) Unknown (5) Sustained (4) Upheld by a court (3) Ongoing (1)

Level: National (19)

Head of government: Barack Obama David Cameron Donald Trump Dwight D. Eisenhower George W. Bush Joe Biden Mahathir Mohamad Muhammad Yunus Narendra Modi Richard Nixon Scott Morrison

DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
July 10, 2026Customs officers seize Grayzone editor's phones at Virginia airport over Iran reportingUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDonald TrumpReversed (July 17, 2026)
April 25, 2025United States: Department of Justice rescission of rules limiting subpoenas of journalists, April 2025United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDonald TrumpSustained (April 25, 2025)
February 3, 2025Journalists beaten in Bangladesh in separate incidents as interim government drafts new cyber lawsBangladesh (RSF 2026 rank: 152nd of 180)Detention and violenceMuhammad YunusOngoing
February 14, 2023Indian tax authorities search BBC offices weeks after Modi documentary banIndia (RSF 2026 rank: 157th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasNarendra ModiUnknown
November 6, 2021FBI raids Project Veritas founder's home over Ashley Biden diary investigationUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenUnknown
July 19, 2021Justice Department bars seizing reporters' phone and email recordsUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasJoe BidenReversed (April 25, 2025)
April 15, 2020Australia's High Court invalidates warrant for raid on journalist Annika SmethurstAustralia (RSF 2026 rank: 33rd of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasScott MorrisonReversed (May 27, 2020)
June 5, 2019Australian Federal Police raid the national broadcaster over reporting on alleged war crimes in AfghanistanAustralia (RSF 2026 rank: 33rd of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasScott MorrisonReversed (October 15, 2020)
October 17, 2014United States pursues New York Times reporter James Risen's testimony for years before dropping its demand for his sourceUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaReversed (October 17, 2014)
October 10, 2013United States: Espionage Act prosecutions of sources for leaks to the press, 2009 to 2013United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsBarack ObamaUnknown
August 18, 2013United Kingdom detains journalist's partner under terrorism law and oversees destruction of Guardian hard drives holding Snowden filesUnited Kingdom (RSF 2026 rank: 18th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDavid CameronUpheld by a court (January 19, 2016)
May 20, 2013United States search warrant names Fox News reporter James Rosen a possible co-conspirator in a leak caseUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaSustained (July 12, 2013)
May 13, 2013United States Justice Department secretly seizes two months of Associated Press phone recordsUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasBarack ObamaSustained (July 12, 2013)
July 6, 2005New York Times reporter Judith Miller jailed for refusing to name a confidential source in the Valerie Plame affairUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasGeorge W. BushUpheld by a court (September 29, 2005)
September 20, 1998Malaysia pressures domestic media and monitors foreign correspondents after arresting former deputy premier Anwar IbrahimMalaysia (RSF 2026 rank: 95th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasMahathir MohamadUnknown
September 9, 1971United States: Nixon White House "enemies list" naming journalists, September 1971United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonUnknown
August 16, 1971Nixon White House compiles an enemies list naming journalists for official pressureUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonReversed (June 27, 1973)
1969United States Supreme Court rules reporters have no privilege to refuse grand jury subpoenasUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasRichard NixonUpheld by a court (June 29, 1972)
November 1955United States Senate panel subpoenas dozens of New York Times journalists over Communist tiesUnited States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)Surveillance and subpoenasDwight D. EisenhowerSustained (December 1, 1956)
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