Defending the Right to Report - Wallace House Center for Journalists

Kunāl Majumder is Asia-Pacific program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In April, as my fellowship ended, I felt an urgency to return to work. In my cohort of 18 Knight-Wallace Fellows, most of my peers were reporters, editors and producers. I was somewhat of an outlier, working on press freedom and the safety of journalists. That distinction itself reflects how the profession is changing: defending the right to report has become as urgent as reporting itself.

During the academic year that I spent at the University of Michigan, the global press freedom crisis only grew sharper. A record number of journalists were killed in 2024 — 125 by the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) count, most of that number driven by journalists targeted in Gaza. Last year was the deadliest year since CPJ began keeping track more than three decades ago.

Journalists today can no longer take their rights or safety for granted — not only in authoritarian countries or conflict zones, but even in democracies like my own India, or the United States.

In India, press freedom is under sustained pressure. Journalists face criminalization, misuse of security laws, and police investigations designed to intimidate them. Media capture has become a reality. Spyware and digital censorship, particularly on social media, add new layers of surveillance and silencing. Although fewer journalists are currently in jail compared with previous years, many continue to face criminal charges. The harassment does not end with being released from prison, and the struggle to clear one’s name is exhausting and unending.

The role of the United States in upholding free speech and press freedom has always been crucial. Yet in recent years, successive administrations have prioritized security and trade over democratic values. In 2024, journalists in the U.S. were arrested or detained at least 48 times. This year, the threats have grown even sharper, with incidents such as the arrest and deportation of reporter Mario Guevara; the visa cancellation of student journalist Rümeysa Öztürk for writing an op-ed; multimillion-dollar media settlements that encourage self-censorship; and the shutdown of Voice of America and Radio Free Asia.

As I said in a TEDx talk during my fellowship, press freedom lies at the heart of all democratic freedoms. Attacks on journalists mark a democratic decline and rising authoritarianism, often justified under security or other pretexts. In India, for instance, anti-terror laws have been misused to try to jail journalists, including 2023 Knight-Wallace Fellow Masrat Zahra, who faced prison time for her reporting from Indian-administered Kashmir. She is currently in exile in the U.S.

At CPJ, my work revolves around documenting attacks, pressing for accountability and assisting those under threat. Safety training has also become central to this mission. During my Knight-Wallace Fellowship, I developed an augmented-reality prototype with my fellowship classmate, Katie O’Brien, to help prepare journalists for hostile environments. The idea came from recognizing that risks to safety are no longer limited to conflict zones. The fellowship gave me space to imagine solutions. The world I return to demands action.

This article is part of Rising to Meet the Moment, a series from the Fall 2025 issue of the Wallace House Journal, featuring reflections from Knight-Wallace alumni, Wallace House board members and the Livingston Awards community on meeting today’s challenges with focus, resilience and resolve. Read more stories from our series:

Christopher Baxter, “Unexpected hope“

Lynette Clemetson, “Stepping up with focus and resolve“

Hayes Ferguson, “Nurturing innovation, adaptability and purpose“

Stephen Henderson, “Choosing civility“

Samantha Henry, “The future of our profession: student journalism“

Tracy Jan, “News deserts and fewer watchdogs“

Margaret Low, “Game Over? Not a chance“

Peggy Lowe, “Defunded, but not defeated“

Amy Maestas, “Building trust through community collaborations“

Kunal Majumder, “Defending the right to report“

Seema Mehta, “Why we keep reporting“

Rachel Rohr, “Swift action for the hardest hit“