Portland Journalist Assaulted During Protest, Left with Black Eye
October 2, 2025
Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Warns of Possible Attack on Media Flotilla
October 2, 2025
October 02, 2025 – El Salvador –
Faced with growing government pressure, El Salvador’s Journalists Association declared it will shift its legal and administrative status outside the country. The decision follows the passage of a controversial foreign agents law in May 2025, which requires NGOs receiving foreign funds to register as foreign agents and pay a 30 % tax on those funds. Critics argue the law is designed to weaken independent institutions and muzzle dissent.
The Association, established in 1936, said it did not name the new host country but announced plans earlier to close its offices in El Salvador. In making the move, it cited the necessity of operating free from “limitations” and “pressures” so it could continue defending press freedom and journalists’ rights abroad.
Under President Nayib Bukele, critics say the government has increasingly targeted institutions that challenge its policies. Bukele has accused NGOs and independent media of siding with criminal gangs, and many suspect the new law is a tool to sanction critical voices. The Journalists Association said that between March and June 2025, 43 Salvadoran journalists—mostly affiliated with independent online outlets—fled the country, citing fears of arrest. Many have not returned.
The law has not only affected press institutions: other NGOs, including the prominent human rights organization Cristosal, have also relocated abroad to escape increasing scrutiny. Supporters of the move view it as a necessary response to safeguard operational autonomy; opponents argue it marks a dire concession to political coercion.
By relinquishing its presence on Salvadoran soil, the Association hopes to preserve its ability to advocate, organize, and protect journalists without being hampered by legal threats or state interference. The action underscores the deepening concerns over press freedom in El Salvador under Bukele’s administration.
Reference –
