Solidarity With OTHERS held the second edition of its Press Freedom Talks at Press Club Brussels on 5 May 2026, focusing on the experiences of journalists working in exile and the effects of transnational repression across national borders. The event marked World Press Freedom Day and brought together journalists, researchers and civil society representatives.
The discussion examined how pressure on journalists may continue after they leave their home countries. Speakers addressed surveillance, legal and financial restrictions, online censorship, threats against relatives and the practical difficulties of rebuilding a professional life in Europe. Their contributions combined personal testimony with analysis of the systems through which governments may seek to target critical voices abroad.
Financial systems and long-term protection
Stephen Reimer, a researcher and adjunct professor at Sciences Po Paris, discussed the possible misuse of financial systems against journalists, dissidents and civil society actors living outside their countries of origin.
Reimer said anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing arrangements, which were created to address organised crime and terrorism, could be used by authoritarian governments to target critics. According to his presentation, politically motivated allegations and international information-sharing systems lacking sufficient safeguards may lead to account restrictions, frozen funds, financial monitoring or increased suspicion from banks.
His contribution emphasised that cross-border repression does not always take the form of a direct physical threat. It may also operate through administrative procedures, restrictions on access to financial services and the uncertainty created when an individual is labelled a security risk. These were observations presented by the speaker, rather than findings issued by a court or public authority.
Ena Bavčić, EU Advocacy Officer at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, addressed the assistance available to journalists after they reach Europe. She said exile may be accompanied by insecurity, isolation, financial difficulties and psychological pressure, while journalists also face the challenge of re-establishing their careers in unfamiliar professional and linguistic environments.
Bavčić outlined forms of support provided by her organisation, including legal consultations, psychological assistance, security support, language courses and professional training. She also drew attention to the position of relatives who remain in journalists’ home countries and may face intimidation because of reporting carried out abroad.
She argued that protection should extend beyond an immediate emergency response and include better coordination and longer-term support. She also called for greater recognition of transnational repression in European policy discussions.
Journalists describe continuing pressure and professional barriers
Turkish journalist Levent Kenez described his experiences of continuing to report after leaving Türkiye. He spoke about alleged threats against his family, efforts to extradite him from Sweden, surveillance, coverage targeting him in pro-government media and terrorism-related accusations that he said had been used to support legal and financial pressure.
Kenez also discussed attempts to restrict journalism through online censorship and the role that cooperation by social media companies may play in limiting access to reporting. He said the vulnerability of family members who remain in the country places an additional emotional burden on journalists working abroad.
At the same time, he emphasised the importance of reporting from exile when independent journalism within countries such as Türkiye has become increasingly difficult. His intervention illustrated the event’s broader argument that leaving a country does not necessarily end the risks associated with journalistic work.
Syrian journalist Ebrahim Mahfoud addressed the professional obstacles experienced by journalists seeking to continue their work in Europe. Drawing on his experience in Belgium, he said journalists arriving from countries affected by war or authoritarian rule may struggle to gain equal recognition within European media despite their professional backgrounds and knowledge of the regions they cover.
Mahfoud questioned why public and media discussions about countries such as Syria often take place without the participation of journalists from those countries. He said continuing to report in exile was not only a matter of maintaining employment, but also of ensuring that events and communities left behind were not forgotten or misunderstood.
The organisers said the discussion showed that journalists in exile may continue to experience intimidation, surveillance, legal harassment, financial pressure and threats against relatives after reaching Europe. The event also highlighted the need for protection mechanisms that address both immediate safety and the longer-term personal and professional consequences of displacement.