UNESCO report reveals growing trend of financial laws being weaponized against journalists

A UNESCO report, titled ‘The misuse of financial laws to pressure, silence and intimidate journalists and media outlets’ has warned of an increasing global trend to weaponize financial crime laws against journalists, freedom of expression and leading to widespread self-censorship.

The report highlights a compilation of over 120 cases of alleged financial crimes against journalists worldwide from 2005 to 2024. A notable spike in cases occurred between 2019 and 2023, with 60% of instances identified during this period.

In Eurasia alone, 60 cases were documented, with over 40 incidents between 2020 and 2024. Cases in this region often led to severe consequences for journalists, including prolonged pre-trial detentions and jail terms exceeding a decade.

It is revealed that governments and other powerful actors misuse financial charges—ranging from tax evasion to money laundering—to sideline independent media, particularly in Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. A pattern of using such tactics to control narratives and dismantle critical media has emerged globally, impacting press freedom and media diversity.

This targeted approach has led to extensive self-censorship among journalists, with many fearing punitive repercussions for their work.

UNESCO highlights that financial allegations often come in clusters, combining multiple charges to create a severe and costly defense burden. Many journalists, especially those in smaller media outlets, face overwhelming legal expenses and reputational damage, deterring their critical reporting on issues like corruption and public accountability.

The findings echo concerns from the Committee to Protect Journalists, which reported that 320 journalists were jailed under politically motivated or silencing charges as of the report's release.

In response, UNESCO and allied international organizations have urged states to follow recommendations by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Financial Accountability, Transparency, and Integrity (FACTI) panel, advocating for proportionate use of anti-corruption laws that safeguard journalistic freedom.

It encouraged states to establish protections within national anti-corruption action plans to prevent the misuse of these laws against journalists.

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, called on member states to ‘safeguard journalists’ from allegations of financial crime.

“Journalists play an essential role in society investigating wrongdoing and advancing transparency. They should never be targeted with unfounded allegations of financial crimes or subject to legal harassment to silence them. This undermines press freedom and freedom of expression for all of us,” she stated.