Afghanistan tops the list as watchdog warns journalist exile is becoming a global crisis
PARIS: Nearly 1,500 journalists from at least 65 countries have received emergency support after being forced into exile since 2021, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in new data released ahead of World Refugee Day, with Afghanistan accounting for almost half of all cases.
RSF said it supported 1,468 journalists between 2021 and 2025 who fled imprisonment, threats or serious risks to their lives. During the same period, the number of countries from which journalists were forced to flee more than doubled from 19 to 40, highlighting what the organisation described as a rapidly expanding global pattern of repression.
Afghanistan was the biggest source country, with 677 journalists receiving support after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Russia ranked second with 160 cases, while Myanmar accounted for 101 journalists after the military coup there in 2021.
RSF warns exile is silencing independent reporting worldwide
The press freedom watchdog said the rise in journalist exile is weakening access to reliable information and creating greater space for disinformation, particularly in conflict zones and authoritarian states.
RSF officials said the trend has spread across Sub-Saharan Africa, especially the Sahel and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as parts of Latin America, where political violence and organised crime have made independent journalism increasingly dangerous.
The organisation also warned that exile does not end the risks faced by reporters. Many continue to deal with legal uncertainty, financial hardship, deportation threats, harassment and transnational repression even after leaving their home countries.
Afghan journalists remain among the most vulnerable
RSF officials and Afghan journalists said the situation remains especially severe for reporters who fled Taliban rule. Many exiled Afghan journalists in Pakistan and Iran still face insecurity, pressure, and the threat of deportation.
The organisation called on governments to strengthen protection for exiled journalists through emergency visas, residence permits, resettlement pathways and safeguards against forced return to countries where they could face persecution.
RSF said protecting journalists in exile is essential not only for their safety but also for preserving democratic debate and public access to independent reporting worldwide.
