Tactic
Lawsuits against the press
A government, a government agency or an official sues a journalist or a news organisation, usually for defamation or breach of contract, whether the official acts in office or in a personal capacity. Lawsuits that fail can still cost the defendant years of work and large legal fees.
The earliest incident in the record using this tactic is dated 1 January 1901.
The ladder for lawsuits against the press: where this tactic has led, stage by stage
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
Incidents by country and year
Kazakhstan, RSF rank: not recorded
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 August 2026 | Kazakhstan: fabricated copyright complaints used against journalists | Pressure | Kassym-Jomart Tokayev | Ongoing (20 August 2026) |
Malta, RSF rank: not recorded
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2017 | Malta: minister orders reporter's bank account frozen | Pressure | Joseph Muscat | Unknown |
Philippines, RSF 2026 rank: 114th of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Philippines: United States colonial government's libel law is used to close the newspaper El Renacimiento | Punish | William Howard Taft | Upheld by a court (1 January 1914) |
| 15 June 2020 | Philippines: Maria Ressa convicted of cyber libel | Punish | Rodrigo Duterte | Ongoing (15 June 2020) |
Russia, RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 October 2018 | Russia: outlet fined $338,000 under the foreign agents law | Pressure | Vladimir Putin | Ongoing (26 October 2018) |
Türkiye, RSF 2026 rank: 163rd of 180
| Date | Incident | Stage | Head of government | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 January 2022 | Türkiye: journalist Sedef Kabas tried for insulting the president | Punish | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | Ongoing (22 June 2023) |