Despite its persistently strong domestic record on press freedom and status as a global frontrunner in fostering free media, Finland comes up short in providing support for exiled journalists at home or abroad in recent years.
These are the findings of a new report commissioned by eight Finnish freedom of expression organisations, including the IPI Finland National Committee.
A striking example cited in the report includes the case of female journalists based in Afghanistan who had received years-long training and support from Finland. When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, none of these journalists were among those to be offered safe haven during Finnish evacuations and asylum proceedings.
“You could say that these women journalists were, at least to some extent, put in danger through their training by Finland”, researcher Hinni Aarninsalo told IPI in a recent interview. “If we decide to use development cooperation funds for educating journalists, it would be ethical to continue supporting them if they end up in danger as a result.”
Aarninsalo is the lead author of the report, which is the first to spotlight exiled journalism in the country. It was prompted by the findings of the first ever International Media Freedom Support Index, published in late 2025, which ranked Finland 19th out of 30 countries.
In the third pillar of the index, “Support for journalism safety and protection”, Finland received zero points.
Few job opportunities
Aarninsalo told IPI: “What really struck me, and was personally quite moving, was talking to the experienced exiled journalists who had come to Finland hoping to continue their work here. Some said they had expected Finland to be a haven for independent journalists but had become disappointed. They had tried to get internships, get a foot in the door, but had been rejected time after time.”
Out of the exiled journalists residing in Finland who Aarninsalo interviewed, over half were unemployed and nearly a quarter had opted for either studying another field or changing their career.
One of the biggest obstacles they faced once in Finland was the lack of language skills, which the report noted Finnish media tended to prioritise over journalistic experience.
As no prior research on exiled journalists in Finland had been conducted, the report cited prior research on journalists who immigrated to the country, finding that they “are often assessed through the prism of perceived deficiencies”, including insufficient language skills, lack of Finnish training and lack of knowledge of local editorial practices.
Poor guidance
Interviewees also reported how Finnish employment services had encouraged them to change careers because journalism was considered to offer poor economic prospects.
One journalist described how orientation materials provided by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) emphasized opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, construction and technology, while warning that enrolling in university studies would result in the loss of unemployment benefits.
“What really came through from the interviews was that for many exiled journalists, true support means being able to continue their work, not just finding safety. As some of the interviewed journalists put it, safety and support for the continuation of work must go hand in hand if Finland really wants to support exiled journalists,” Aarninsalo said.
She questioned: “Do we support press freedom if exile for a journalist means changing professions?”
This poor guidance likely stems from the fact that Finland lacks long-term, systematic support measures for journalists who have been forced to leave their countries. Finland does not provide a dedicated emergency or humanitarian visa pathway that would enable exiled journalists in need of urgent protection to enter the country safely.
Many exiled journalists have been forced to rely on help from individuals, while some have received fragmented and short-term support from the Finnish Union of Journalists, the Finnish PEN, and Artists at Risk.
Silenced twice
Exiled journalists could diversify and enrich the Finnish media landscape significantly, the report argues. Some have an immense amount of experience and knowledge through lived experiences, but are unable to use it for journalism.
”As one interviewee put it, if you are forced to leave your home country because someone wanted to silence you and push you out, and then in the country you flee to, you are not given the chance to continue your work, you are effectively being silenced again”, Aarninsalo said.
It is not only exiled journalists who are missing an opportunity, but also Finland as a country. Latvia, which topped the third pillar of the IMFS index, sees supporting exiled journalism as a question of national security. The country has a large Russian-speaking population.
“Russian exiled media offered counter-narratives to Russian propaganda that Latvia’s Russian-speaking audience was facing,” Aarninsalo explained.
According to Statistics Finland, in 2025 the largest foreign-language speaking group in Finland was also Russian. The country shares the longest border with Russia in the European Union and has been the target of Russian disinformation campaigns. But in Aarninsalo’s interviews, this perspective did not come through as a common theme. Only the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) had a similar view on news in different languages.
Action needed
Finland, however, is far from an outlier. Support for exiled journalists is seriously lacking in numerous European countries, and the solutions proposed in the report echo long-standing calls from international press freedom organisations.
In 2022, following the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, IPI alongside its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners called on all EU member states to extend emergency shelter and visa waivers to Russian journalists who fled the country.
In 2023, IPI General Assembly adopted a resolution that called on states committed to improving the safety of journalists to develop rapid visa schemes for journalists, specifically highlighting Media Freedom Coalition states, including Finland.
In 2025, the General Assembly again unanimously approved a resolution that called on the international community to facilitate safe entry through rapid visa pathways, ensure protection and support for exiled journalists, and provide them with financial and institutional support in exile. It also reminded all states that “under international law they bear an obligation to protect the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and information.”
In March 2026, IPI and partners sent a letter to European Union representatives calling for the establishment of a “visa corridor” for journalists, noting how the EU’s commitment to support independent media in candidate states is contradicted by current visa policies. The letter highlighted Turkish journalists whose professional mobility is severely obstructed by said policies.
The lack of a systematic approach to exiled journalists is then reflected in the local institutions, such as the Finnish employment services, which struggle to identify exiled journalists and proactively provide them with sufficient information on organisations that could offer support.
Efficient support is immensely important for exiled journalists who face bureaucratic struggles, possible mental health challenges rooted in past trauma, and in some cases, the added burden of transnational repression even after reaching safety. Many journalists interviewed for the Finnish report mentioned needing psychological support, with one journalist describing being tortured in prison prior to arriving in Finland and having to wait for months before receiving help.
Aarninsalo expressed hope that the lack of support for exiled journalists in Finland was due to the lack of knowledge. The report should now pave the way for wider discussions and improvements.
“Through the interviews, I found that one of the most urgent areas for improvement is ensuring that when an exiled journalist arrives in Finland, there is a clear pathway for them to connect with other exiled journalists, the organisations that support them, and the Finnish media landscape”, she said.
“Currently, we just don’t know what happens to the exiled journalists in Finland or where they end up. Only a fraction of them find their way to the support systems that we currently have in place in Finland.”
For a full list of recommendations, the report can be read here.