World Refugee Day 2025
The state of journalists in exile
Journalists face a multitude of threats and are increasingly being pushed into exile in response to their work. Almost half of the journalists CPJ supported in 2024 are living in exile, and this number has grown in recent years.
In 2024, most of the individual support grants CPJ awarded from the Gene Roberts Fund for Emergency Assistance covered needs related to journalists’ exile trajectories (relocation and living costs on arrival), as hundreds of journalists fled active conflicts or escaped targeted threats.
Almost half of CPJ’s grant recipients are living in exile, often in a small number of countries that offer them limited safety and short-term prospects. This trend reveals the brutality of the repression in many journalists’ home countries and points to serious challenges for those who have to restart their lives abroad.
CPJ has observed that journalists at risk often reach these countries of exile under short-term, precarious legal statuses. This is a considerable source of additional stress and uncertainty for them. Journalists often face long and complex asylum processes, meaning they stay in uncertain situations for years, frequently unable to continue working.
CPJ has identified main exile destinations in different regions: Turkey in the Middle East and North Africa, Pakistan in Asia, Kenya in Africa, Costa Rica in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Georgia in Europe. These represent just a few examples as part of a larger trend.
Journalists also face transnational repression and democratic backsliding in certain host countries, which has been a regular concern for journalists asking CPJ for support. Even in exile, journalists fear being persecuted by their home country’s authorities.
Contributing to solutions
CPJ’s response to this persistent issue has been to offer comprehensive support:
- In 2024, 60% of CPJ’s Gene Roberts Fund covered needs related to journalists’ exile trajectories (including relocation and living costs on arrival).
- We support mental health and community-building for journalists in exile by facilitating, designing, and/or running dedicated workshops, for example in Thailand for journalists from Myanmar in partnership with the Exile Media Hub, and elsewhere.
- We offer referrals to “rest and respite” fellowship and residency programs in safe countries, and we help journalists secure pro bono immigration advice.
- We help journalists stay safe from transnational repression by enabling further relocation and providing them with tailored safety advice.
CPJ has long advocated for national governments to create special emergency visas for journalists, which would enable quick evacuation and relocation to safety. The visas should be granted to individuals who are at risk in direct relation to their work reporting and/or disseminating the news, in line with the recommendations of the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom.
Resources for journalists in exile
Emergency Assistance
To seek emergency assistance, get safety advice, or report a press freedom violation, please contact us via e-mail at [email protected] or contact us through mail, telephone, or fax. You will be asked to provide information about your circumstance and your work as a journalist. All information is confidential.
Due to the high volume of requests, we are not able to respond to everyone who needs our help. CPJ gives priority to crisis situations.You can find more safety resources here.