Exiled Journalist Communities in Germany

Germany has become an important host country for journalists in exile. Among other factors, the stable political conditions and existing diaspora networks offer them guidance and points of contact. This publication, written by Prof. Dr. Hanan Badr from the University of Salzburg, examines the various national exiled journalist communities based in Germany in terms of their size and development, their professional conditions, opportunities, challenges and needs. The publication was produced in 2024 and reflects the situation at that time.

Based on information from support organisations and a survey of exiled journalists conducted for the study, most of the exiled media professionals living in Germany come from three regions: Eastern Europe (Belarus, Russia, Ukraine), followed by Central and Western Asia (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey) and the Arab region (primarily Syria).

It can be assumed that several hundred to more than a thousand Russian journalists are living in exile in Germany. Experts also estimate that between 20 and 30 Belarusian media professionals have been working from Germany since 2020. Estimates of the number of exiled journalists from the Arab, African, West and Central Asian regions are not available. However, the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organisation (AJSO) has 200 members in Germany. The total number of Afghan journalists living in exile in Germany is likely to be higher.

Germany fulfils an important protective function; most journalists in exile feel safer here than in their countries of origin. This relative safety gives them the opportunity to continue their work. Most of them appreciate the security, freedom and stability, as well as the potential for professional reorientation and growth.

For many media professionals, however, life in exile also brings considerable challenges. These include the search for a permanent job, financial challenges, professional reorientation and adaptation to a new legal framework, lack of recognition of their expertise as well as linguistic and cultural barriers. Added to this are existential and psychological stresses such as lengthy family reunification processes, the search for suitable housing, and dealing with mental health issues and trauma.

In addition to concerns about personal safety, there are also fears of digital surveillance or even direct repression from their home countries – a phenomena known as transnational repression. Russian, Belarusian and Turkish journalists, but not only them, face massive transnational repression and threats to their cyber security.

Despite similar challenges, there are also differences between the exile journalism communities. Firstly, the communities are at different stages of their development and establishment in Germany. Accordingly, their needs and priorities differ. Among those who have recently gone into exile are communities from Russia, Afghanistan, Belarus and Ukraine. Communities that are still in the arrival stage face greater uncertainties and tend to focus more on security issues and bringing their endangered families to Germany. This is particularly true of the Afghan and Russian communities. After some time in Germany, questions arise about building the community and coping with long-term exile, as is the case with the Syrian community.

Exiled journalist communities experience different speeds and procedures for admission, legalisation and professional activity, and receive different types of visas. Examples include the granting of humanitarian visas to Russian journalists, residence permits for Ukrainian journalists under Section 24 of the Residence Act, and even the (admittedly failed) BAP programme for Afghan journalists in exile. Political asylum is the most restrictive way for journalists to integrate into Germany and continue their journalistic careers. Long transition and waiting periods mean that many have to leave their profession. According to expert estimates, only 20 to 30 per cent are able to continue their journalistic work in exile.

Another factor that affects the development and success of a community is the level of its funding. This is often influenced by German and European geopolitical strategies, as well as by foreign relations and the priorities of donor institutions. The Syrian exile community, for example, experienced a significant decline in international funding after donors set new funding priorities. As a result, the number of active Syrian exile media outlets shrank from over a hundred to around twenty today.

The various exile journalism communities also differ in terms of their cohesion and coordination. Smaller communities can have strong professional organisations that have developed over many years and are generally better coordinated. Belarusian journalists, for example, form a well-structured exile community. Others are more heterogeneous and divided along political and ethnic lines.