RSF Report: National security as a weapon against journalism

Emphasizing that national security must never become an excuse for governments to silence journalists, RSF Editorial Director Anne Bocandé explained that every unfair prosecution, every arbitrary detention, and every misused law against the press also undermines the public's right to access information, while also highlighting the contagious nature of this repression: 

Bocandé: “Authoritarian and democratic governments are learning from each other”

“Authoritarian and democratic governments are now learning from each other how to instrumentalize the mechanisms of the national security state to prevent journalists from investigating matters of public interest. Our report reveals that this dangerous trend has taken on a global dimension and that it is necessary to urgently reaffirm a fundamental principle: Journalism is never a crime committed against the state; on the contrary, it is a protective mechanism against arbitrariness.”

What do Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser, Filipino journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, and Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan have in common? All three were prosecuted between 2020 and 2026 on the grounds of “national security.”

While al-Jasser was executed, the other two were imprisoned simply for doing their jobs.

These are far from isolated cases. From Gaza to Hong Kong, and from Moscow to Managua, hundreds of journalists are being targeted with charges of terrorism, espionage, treason, or harming state interests for providing citizens with reliable information. 

The examples of Can Dündar and Müyesser Uğur for Turkey

Even when there is no obvious threat of war or violence, high geopolitical risks, historical conflicts, and regional instability can function as tools for spreading fear and suppressing journalism. Turkey is the prime example of this: Although not at war, its authoritarian tendencies and the taboos surrounding certain news reports related to international relations jeopardize press freedom. 

In the RSF Report, which lists 10 recommendations alongside its main findings, Can Dündar and Müyesser Uğur are mentioned as examples of journalists in Turkey who have faced pressure and prosecution under the pretext of “national security.” Dündar, a journalist in exile who was sentenced to 27 years and 6 months in prison in 2020 due to the report on MİT trucks published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper, is still being tried for the same case due to a broadcast on the Özgürüz website. Uğur, who brought Turkey's military operations in Libya to the agenda for the Odatv website, was sentenced to 3 years and 7 months in prison on the grounds of “obtaining and disclosing prohibited information.” The court of appeals rejected the appeal regarding the sentence in 2022. 

Crimean Solidarity in Crimea deemed a “foreign agent” 

Even the last few weeks alone have revealed new evidence of this trend. In Russia, the independent news source Crimean Solidarity was added to the stigmatizing list of “foreign agents” for documenting Russian repression in occupied Crimea. In the United States, the Department of Justice sent subpoenas to journalists from The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal to testify before a grand jury investigating national security leaks. 

The scope of “terrorism” in China has expanded dangerously

On July 1, 2026, just days before the report's publication, the Chinese regime enacted a new law that dangerously expands the scope of activities considered “terrorism.” This law could be used to target journalists in exile, especially those from the persecuted Uyghur minority. In Hong Kong, media mogul Jimmy Lai has been held in detention for more than 2,000 days on national security charges due to his role as the founder of Apple Daily, one of the region's most prominent independent newspapers.

10 main findings and 10 recommendations from RSF

Among the 10 findings listed in the RSF report, there is an emphasis on the fight against the increasingly widespread abuse of national security: “RSF demands the restoration of democratic safeguards; specifically, it recommends that the definition of national security be strictly limited, the protection of confidential journalistic sources be strengthened, effective limits be placed on surveillance powers, the misuse of counter-terrorism legislation against journalists be prevented, and international mechanisms to protect press freedom be strengthened.” 

News Source: 12punto