San Salvador, 2 October 2025 — More than 50 Salvadoran journalists have fled the country in the past four months, citing intensifying legal persecution and mounting threats under the administration of President Nayib Bukele. The exodus marks a troubling escalation in El Salvador’s press freedom crisis, with media professionals facing harassment, surveillance, and the looming risk of imprisonment.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the government’s use of repressive legislation — including anti-terror laws and digital surveillance — has created a climate of fear for independent journalists. Many have been forced to abandon their work and seek asylum abroad, often without financial support or legal protection.
RSF confirmed it has provided emergency assistance to 12 exiled journalists, and has publicly called on President Bukele to uphold international commitments to press freedom. “The situation is untenable,” said an RSF spokesperson. “Journalists must be able to report without fear of retaliation or criminalisation.”
The crackdown comes amid broader concerns over democratic backsliding in El Salvador, where critics accuse the government of consolidating power and silencing dissent. While the administration maintains that its actions target misinformation and criminal networks, press advocates argue that legitimate journalism is being conflated with opposition.
International watchdogs and human rights organisations have urged the Salvadoran government to reverse course and guarantee protections for media workers. As the number of exiled journalists grows, so too does the alarm over the erosion of democratic norms in one of Latin America’s most fragile democracies.
Excerpts from jurist.org article by Juri Berger | Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, CH
