The War On News

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

Search: detention and violence, stage: eliminate

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 180AzerbaijanBelarus, RSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180China, RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180EritreaGuatemala, RSF 2026 rank: 128th of 180Haiti, RSF 2026 rank: 107th of 180Hong Kong, RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180Myanmar, RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180Nigeria, RSF 2026 rank: 112th of 180Russia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180Saudi Arabia, RSF 2026 rank: 176th of 180
ContinentAfricaAsiaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth America
TacticDetention and violence 13Secrets and espionage laws 3Licensing and closure of outlets 1Expulsion and visa denial 1Prior restraint 1
StageEliminate 13
OutcomeReversed 7Ongoing 3Sustained 1Unknown 1Upheld by a court 1
LevelNational 12State or province 1
Head of governmentAlejandro GiammatteiAlexander LukashenkoAung San Suu KyiIlham AliyevIsaias AfwerkiJean-Claude DuvalierJohn LeeJorge Rafael VidelaSalman bin Abdulaziz Al SaudSani AbachaVladimir PutinXi Jinping

13 incidents match this view.

TableCardsCSVJSONMarkdown
DateIncidentCountryTacticHead of governmentOutcome
15 December 2025China (Hong Kong): conviction and 20-year sentence of the media owner Jimmy Lai under the National Security Law, 2025 to 2026Hong Kong (RSF 2026 rank: 140th of 180)Detention and violenceJohn LeeSustained (8 February 2026)
14 June 2023Guatemala convicts investigative journalist Jose Ruben Zamora on money-laundering chargeGuatemala (RSF 2026 rank: 128th of 180)Detention and violenceAlejandro GiammatteiOngoing
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)
14 May 2020China: citizen journalist Zhang Zhan imprisoned for Wuhan reportingChina (RSF 2026 rank: 178th of 180)Detention and violenceXi JinpingOngoing
2 October 2018Saudi Arabia's government kills journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside its Istanbul consulateSaudi Arabia (RSF 2026 rank: 176th of 180)Detention and violenceSalman bin Abdulaziz Al SaudUnknown
3 September 2018Myanmar sentences two Reuters journalists to seven years under the Official Secrets Act for reporting on a massacreMyanmar (RSF 2026 rank: 166th of 180)Secrets and espionage lawsAung San Suu KyiReversed (7 May 2019)
1 September 2015Azerbaijan: investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova sentenced to 7.5 yearsAzerbaijan (RSF rank: not recorded)Detention and violenceIlham AliyevReversed (25 May 2016)
7 October 2006Investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya is shot dead in Moscow; a former police officer is later convicted of organizing the killingRussia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)Detention and violenceVladimir PutinUpheld by a court (9 June 2014)
18 September 2001Eritrea: independent press closed and journalists jailed without trialEritrea (RSF rank: not recorded)Detention and violenceIsaias AfwerkiOngoing
July 1995Nigeria's military government convicts journalists by special tribunal over coup-plot reportingNigeria (RSF 2026 rank: 112th of 180)Detention and violenceSani AbachaReversed (15 June 1998)
1980Haiti's Duvalier government arrests and deports Radio Haiti-Inter staff, driving its director into exileHaiti (RSF 2026 rank: 107th of 180)Expulsion and visa denialJean-Claude DuvalierReversed (1 February 1986)
24 March 1976Argentina's military junta threatens journalists with prison for reporting on its opponentsArgentina (RSF 2026 rank: 98th of 180)Detention and violenceJorge Rafael VidelaReversed (10 December 1983)
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