Reyhana Masters and Laura Vidal examine how this global scourge is impacting the Africa and Latin America/Caribbean regions, the specific threat landscape for women journalists, and how those forced to flee can be better supported.
The forced displacement of journalists and rights defenders has become a global phenomenon. In part one, the authors looked into some of the root causes and impacts in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. Here, they share some support initiatives and reflect on the potential for greater cross-regional collaboration.
In her April 2024 report on Journalists In Exile, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of expression and information Irene Khan makes several important recommendations, and reminds us that:
“Journalists should not be treated as political pawns, but as human beings in distress who, at great cost to themselves, serve a critical social purpose – fulfilling people’s right to be informed of issues that affect their lives.”
In terms of international advocacy, human rights activist Luis Carlos Díaz shared with us the importance of “treating authoritarian regimes as interconnected rather than isolated, so journalists can benefit from more comprehensive advocacy and protection.”
Efforts to support exiled journalists have centred on collaboration and networking, connecting those still in their home countries with those abroad. Unfortunately, many remain disconnected from these kinds of support networks.
Addressing this gap requires fostering greater inter-regional cooperation and building more cross-border support systems. Many initiatives have traditionally followed a North-South framework, which continues to be valuable and necessary. However, it is equally crucial to foster more South-to-South collaborations through activities and projects.
In Colombia, organisations like FLIP (Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa) have provided crucial support for Venezuelan journalists. In Costa Rica, IPLEX (Instituto de Prensa y Libertad de Expresión) offers help to Nicaraguan journalists and builds dedicated spaces for families, including for female journalists who arrive with their children. In partnership with DW Akademie, they try to counter the economic and safety difficulties exiled journalists face.
On 13 November 2024, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) announced the creation of a network designed to assist journalists and media outlets that had to abandon their own countries, as well as journalists displaced within their own countries due to violence. Previously, in October, IAPA had acknowledged the gravity of the issue by awarding their Grand Prize for Press Freedom collectively to all journalists in exile in Latin America.
In Africa, initiatives like the Goma Shelter in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) offer displaced journalists safety, accommodation, and skills training, providing them with a much-needed reprieve from conflict reporting. The primary objective of this support was to offer “a workspace to colleagues, so that their voices do not die out,” says Rosalie Zawadi, the president of the National Union of the Press of Congo, North Kivu section.
RSF has equipped nine media outlets and journalists’ associations in the DRC with stable satellite Internet connections, helping to mitigate the challenges faced by the increasing number of internally displaced journalists, which has already reached 80 and continues to grow. The challenges faced by journalists in conflict zones like Sudan, the DRC, Ethiopia, and Somalia are compounded by both internal violence and government repression, creating an increasingly hostile environment for the free press.
Mohamed Ibrahim, the president of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) who now lives in Europe, describes how he was constantly threatened for “working with the infidels” while reporting for the New York Times. Working externally has bolstered his courage, as he emphasises:
“Despite challenges we faced from the government, from raiding our offices, arresting the secretary-general Abdalle Mumin and information and human rights secretary Mohamed Ibrahim Bulbul, to the freezing of our bank accounts in Mogadishu . . . the SJS will defend press freedom. We will continue to do so with, or without, the liking of the government, because our mandate is to advocate, promote and defend the human rights of working journalists.”
Conversations with journalists reveal that while there are valuable support structures in place, a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective when addressing the varying levels of risk they face. For instance, the Exile Media Hub in Kenya has proven valuable, but the rising cost of living there has forced some journalists to relocate to Uganda, which is more affordable.
German-based Media in Cooperation and Transition (MICT) have expanded their vision, extending their hub project into other countries while also providing logistical support and relocation assistance for those under immediate threat. The projects help journalists escape danger and begin to rebuild their lives in safer environments.
For displaced journalists in the DRC, the Goma Shelter “is a response to a real need.”
“A psychologist will talk two or three times a week with the journalists staying at the rest home, and that is a great support. It helps us to continue to be journalists, to carry out our work of collecting, processing, and disseminating reliable and true information despite our status as displaced persons by war.”
Broadcast journalist Patient Ndasiva
We also spoke with a tech-focused human rights defenders’ group that emphasized how critical technical support is for Nicaraguan journalists and rights defenders in exile, as well as for those seeking accurate information. They explained that much of the information journalists in exile rely on comes from teams working covertly. These teams provide essential assistance with digital security and offer logistical support during crises, and when journalists need to escape.
Journalists and media from neighbouring countries have initiated important dialogues on common issues. El Salvador’s Laura Aguirre, Strategic Director of Alharaca and Director of Development at Sembramedia, told the Reuters Institute how colleagues from Nicaragua (who, as they told her, “come from the future”, as President Bukele is following President Ortega’s playbook) have helped her develop strategies for the challenges that are looming with the rise of Bukele’s authoritarian grip.
Cross-regional collaboration is also a fruitful area. We were involved in a successful initiative for IFEX members from Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean in 2022. Participants shared tactics for driving momentum around the robust implementation of ATI laws in their respective regions.
There are encouraging examples of cross-regional collaboration around the safety of journalists, including those in exile. Alexa Zamora pointed to ongoing exchanges among groups from Nicaragua, Venezuela, Cuba and Equatorial Guinea. Venezuelan group Conexión Segura y Libre has worked on digital security trainings with people in Congo and Senegal, and Nigerian journalists and activists took part in workshops with TEDIC from Paraguay.
These examples demonstrate the importance of strong connections between journalists inside and outside their home country, the crucial role of global support networks, and the potential of increased cooperation between regions in a South to South dynamic.
For Conexión Segura y Libre’s director Andrés Azpúrura, sharing experiences and techniques among communities facing similar restrictions “is incredibly valuable, going beyond merely technical know-how without context.” He says:
“While each context is unique, there is much to be gained and shared between communities in the Global South. In the training sessions we’ve conducted with activists and organisations in Africa, we talk about tips and strategies to apply best practices in ways that are compatible with the specific context or limitations of a community. This approach helps localise strategies, enabling higher levels of proficiency in less time by connecting through shared contextual similarities and prior experience, while adapting practices to less explored environments.”
Click here to read part one: Exiled Expression: Causes and impacts
