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“Repression of the press has a long and tragic lineage. In ancient Rome, historians who documented the excesses of emperors were exiled or executed. During the Inquisition, dissenting voices were burned at the stake. The rise of fascism in the 20th century saw the state apparatus turned against the free press—from Mussolini’s Italy to Hitler’s Germany, where over 4,000 newspapers were banned or seized.

In post-colonial countries like India, British-era sedition laws were used to curb nationalist publications. Ironically, today, many of those same laws are used by independent India’s institutions to silence criticism of the state.

Whether under kings or elected leaders, freedom of the press has always come under attack when power becomes intolerant of scrutiny.”

Each year on May 3, the world observes World Press Freedom Day—a date meant to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate its state globally, to defend the media from attacks, and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. But in 2025, this observance feels less like a celebration and more like a desperate cry for solidarity and survival.

Far from advancing, the cause of press freedom is in retreat across much of the world. In democracies and dictatorships alike, governments are becoming more intolerant, more repressive, and more brazen in their efforts to control, coerce, and silence journalists.

A Shrinking Space for Free Media

The disturbing trend of clamping down on independent journalism is no longer limited to authoritarian states. Even in countries with constitutional guarantees and democratic frameworks, we are witnessing an erosion of media freedoms. Critical media outlets are being demonized, raided, shut down, or bought out. Laws are being weaponized. Surveillance is rampant. Intimidation and arrests are on the rise.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the year 2023 saw the killing of 99 journalists and media workers, the highest death toll in nearly a decade. Over 550 journalists are currently imprisoned across the globe, many for simply doing their jobs. In India, dozens of journalists have been arrested, raided, or harassed under sedition, terror, or financial misconduct laws for reporting stories that challenge power.

In Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, and Myanmar, independent journalism is treated as a crime. In Palestine, journalists covering Gaza face a lethal environment. Over 100 media workers have been killed since late 2023, many under circumstances that demand international scrutiny. The chilling message in each of these cases is clear: Silence, or pay the price.

The Historical Context of Repression

Repression of the press has a long and tragic lineage. In ancient Rome, historians who documented the excesses of emperors were exiled or executed. During the Inquisition, dissenting voices were burned at the stake. The rise of fascism in the 20th century saw the state apparatus turned against the free press—from Mussolini’s Italy to Hitler’s Germany, where over 4,000 newspapers were banned or seized.

In post-colonial countries like India, British-era sedition laws were used to curb nationalist publications. Ironically, today, many of those same laws are used by independent India’s institutions to silence criticism of the state.

Whether under kings or elected leaders, freedom of the press has always come under attack when power becomes intolerant of scrutiny.

Why Power Fears the Press

At the heart of every assault on journalism lies one simple truth: a free press questions power. It exposes corruption, injustice, abuse, and lies. It challenges dominant narratives and tells the stories that the powerful would rather remain hidden.

This is why both far-right and far-left ideologies often view the free press with suspicion. They demand loyalty, not inquiry. Propaganda, not questions. Compliance, not courage.

And yet, it is precisely this courage that defines journalism at its best. A journalist is not a soldier of ideology but a sentinel of democracy. Journalism is not activism, but accountability.

The Price of Truth

Over the years, brave men and women have paid with their lives for the simple act of telling the truth.

•    Anna Politkovskaya was assassinated in Moscow for reporting on Chechnya.

•    Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist, was shot while covering an Israeli military raid.

•    Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta was blown up in her car for investigating government corruption.

•    Ján Kuciak, a young Slovak reporter, was murdered with his fiancée for following a trail of financial crime.

And there are thousands more—some whose names we know, most whose names we don’t.

They did not die in vain. Their courage laid the foundation for a profession that continues to resist, report, and reveal.

A Global Movement: Journalists Beyond Borders

In the face of growing repression, what must be our answer?

Our response must be solidarity across borders—a global alliance of truth-tellers committed to defending one another, amplifying each other’s work, and resisting together. This is the spirit behind a movement we must now build with urgency: Journalists Beyond Borders.

This envisioned alliance is not about nationalism or ideology. It is about creating a safe, united, and resilient global front of media workers, unshackled by geography, culture, or ethnicity. It is about pooling resources to offer legal aid, digital protection, safety training, and emergency evacuation for journalists in danger.

It is about creating a journalistic commons where the story of a jailed reporter in Belarus is known in Brooklyn, and the assassination of a Mexican crime correspondent echoes in Manila.

A threat to one journalist anywhere must be seen as a threat to journalism everywhere.

The Press and the People

It must be understood that  Press freedom is not merely a media issue. It is a public issue. When journalism is silenced, it is the people’s right to know that is extinguished. A silenced press leads to a blind citizenry—unable to judge, to act, or to vote with knowledge.

It is not the job of the press to please the public or praise the powerful. It is our job to inform the people, regardless of who it embarrasses or offends.

To those who say journalists should not criticize governments, we respond: That is our role. Democracy without dissent is dictatorship in disguise.

We ask not for special privileges, but for the right to work without fear. We do not seek immunity—we demand protection.

A Pledge on World Press Freedom Day

On this day, let us renew our commitment—not just as journalists, but as global citizens.

Let us pledge to:

•    Defend the truth, even when it is inconvenient.

•    Stand with journalists under attack, even when we disagree with them.

•    Condemn censorship and propaganda, wherever they appear.

•    Build international mechanisms for media safety and legal recourse.

•    Celebrate and support independent journalism, through readership, funding, and public advocacy.

Let us work toward a world that values truth over tyranny, transparency over propaganda, and dialogue over dogma.

Final Word: A Call to Hope

In a time when disinformation floods social media, when violence stalks the newsroom, and when fear threatens to override facts, the mission of journalism is more vital than ever.

And though the challenges are grave, we draw strength from one another. From the whisper of the local reporter in a village pressroom to the global network of digital watchdogs, journalism endures.

It endures because there are still people willing to speak. Still editors willing to publish. Still readers who seek the truth. And still, a world that—despite its darkness—has not extinguished the light of inquiry.

Let us build that world anew. Let us write its story—truthfully, together, and free.

(The author is the Chief Editor of The Indian Panorama. He can be reached at salujaindra@gmail.com)

 

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)