Yavuz Baydar
blogger and media expert
Arzu Geybulla
regional editor South Caucasus and Turkey Global Voices
Fathi Osman
Eritrean exile journalist and author
Sonja Wimschulte
programme director Democracy and Cohesion Department Korber-Stiftung
As autocracies increasingly suppress free media, exile has now become a long-term phenomenon: a lifeline for journalists committed to truth-telling. This panel will explore the challenges and opportunities faced by journalists forced to operate from abroad, providing critical insights into how they maintain journalistic integrity while navigating threats, censorship, and cultural displacement.
Featuring leading journalists and media advocates, the discussion will explore what challenges exiled journalists face in their new host environments, and how they use digital tools to counter authoritarian narratives and build resilient networks. The panel will also examine the logistical toll of displacement and offer perspectives on the support systems needed to sustain their work. Key questions include:
> As singular autocracies transform into “Autocracy Inc” (Anne Applebaum, 2024), do the democratic host governments face greater threats?
> What role do host countries and international organizations play in fostering press freedom?
> And how can exiled media leverage global solidarity to challenge authoritarian regimes?
This session aims to inspire actionable strategies for defending press freedom, showcasing journalism as a vital pillar of democracy and resistance against authoritarianism - and amplifying the voices of those who refuse to be silenced.
Moderated by Sonja Wimschulte.
Organised in association with Körber-Stiftung.