Space for Freedom: Exiled journalists' need assessment

This assessment was conducted as part of the Space for Freedom program implemented by DW Akademie, the Baltic Centre for Media Excellence, the Sustainability Foundation and the Press Club Belarus.

The paper aims to provide a comprehensive needs analysis of exiled journalists from Belarus and Russia. 

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Following widespread crackdowns on independent media in both countries, intensified by the 2020 Belarusian protests and Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, journalists have been forced into exile in large numbers. Despite the challenges, they remain committed to independent reporting and informing audiences both in their home countries  and abroad. However, the journalists and media face significant professional, operational, legal and financial challenges in exile. The report aims to analyze this.

The assessment is based on a mixed-methods approach and combines 64 quantitative survey  responses with 20 in-depth qualitative interviews. All were conducted between November 2024 and mid-January 2025. The findings provide an understanding of the key issues affecting exiled journalists and media organizations, and outline both their immediate needs and primary action points.

The key areas of analysis include the following aspects:

• Many exiled journalists struggle with adaptation due to linguistic barriers, limited employment opportunities and ongoing security concerns. A significant number of respondents expressed feelings of isolation and uncertainty about their future in host countries.
• The overwhelming dependence on short-term donor funding presents a critical obstacle to financial sustainability. Most respondents identified financing as a major concern, with competition for limited grants increasing among exiled media outlets. Moreover, following the US presidential directive to suspend foreign assistance to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), dozens of independent media outlets in more than 30 countries, including those relocated from Russia and Belarus, have been severely impacted.
• Issues surrounding residency permits, visa restrictions and taxation systems  significantly hinder both individuals and media organizations. More than half of the journalists surveyed cited visa challenges as a persistent issue affecting their work and integration.
• Nearly half of these journalists currently work on a project-by-project basis without a stable contract. In addition, young journalists and media professionals without established reputations struggle to find work, resulting in many having to leave the journalism profession entirely. 
• Most respondents reported having some cooperation with other exiled media, while only a quarter have successfully collaborated with local media. Language barriers, editorial priorities and limited networking opportunities hinder collaborations like these.
• Many exiled media struggle with outdated workflows, inefficient newsroom structures and a lack of digital tools and training. Less than half of the respondents indicated their newsrooms lacked the necessary technological infrastructure. 
• The pressures of exile, financial instability, visa uncertainties and ongoing threats from authoritarian regimes have resulted in severe emotional distress for journalists. More than three-quarters of the journalists surveyed reported experiencing psychological stress and also expressed a need for professional psychological health support.
• Despite continued efforts to reach audiences in their home countries, the journalists and media surveyed face significant obstacles, including state censorship, the blocking of digital platforms and audience fatigue. The struggle to maintain connections with contacts inside Belarus and Russia further complicates the work of independent media in exile.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that the surveys and in-person interviews were conducted prior to the US presidential directive to suspend funding for its main foreign aid agency, USAID. The immediate consequences were therefore not reflected in the responses of those surveyed. However, the freeze is expected to have a profound impact on the future financial sustainability of exiled journalists and media.

The findings highlight the urgent need for long-term financial stability as well as legal and administrative support for exiled journalists. The recommendations at the end of this paper come from recurring themes that emerged from this assessment.