COVID-19 pandemic

==== Other countries ====
The number of journalists imprisoned or detained increased worldwide; some detentions were related to the pandemic.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news||author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=15 December 2020|title=Record number of journalists imprisoned in 2020 – report|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-global-rights-journalists-idUKKBN28P0DO|access-date=16 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite web||date=14 December 2020|last1=Berry|first1=Alex|title=Press freedom: Journalists end up in jail for reporting on coronavirus crisis|url=https://www.dw.com/en/press-freedom-journalists-end-up-in-jail-for-reporting-on-coronavirus-crisis/a-55929247|access-date=16 February 2021|publisher=Deutsche Welle}}</ref> The planned [[NATO]] "[[List of NATO exercises#2020|Defender 2020]]" military exercise in Germany, [[Poland]] and the [[Baltic states]], the largest NATO war exercise since the end of the [[Cold War]], was held on a reduced scale.<ref name="20200320spectator">{{#invoke:cite news||last1=Simes|first1=Dimitri |title=How coronavirus derailed the largest Nato exercise in 25 years |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-coronavirus-derailed-the-largest-nato-exercise-in-25-years |work=The Spectator |date=20 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="20200319reuters">{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Emmott R |title=NATO scales down exercises due to coronavirus |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-nato/nato-scales-down-exercises-due-to-coronavirus-idUSKBN21627V |access-date=21 October 2020 |work=Reuters |date=19 March 2020}}</ref>

The Iranian government was heavily affected by the virus, which infected some two dozen parliament members and political figures.<ref name="D2Xpc" /><ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Berman |first1=Ilan |title=Will Iran's Regime Survive Coronavirus? |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/03/will-irans-regime-survive-coronavirus/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=National Review |date=12 March 2020}}</ref> Iran President [[Hassan Rouhani]] wrote a public letter to world leaders asking for help on 14 March 2020, due to a lack of access to international markets.<ref name="u2rRX" /> Saudi Arabia, which had launched a [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|military intervention in Yemen]] in March 2015, declared a ceasefire.<ref name="20200409foreignpolicy">{{#invoke:cite news || vauthors = Haverty D, Gramer R, Detsch J |title=Coronavirus Pandemic Forces a Cease-Fire in Yemen |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/09/coronavirus-pandemic-forces-cease-fire-yemen-humanitarian-crisis-saudi-arabia-houthis/ |access-date=21 October 2020 |work=Foreign Policy |date=9 April 2020}}</ref>

Diplomatic relations between [[Japan–South Korea relations|Japan and South Korea]] worsened.<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Sposato |first1=William |title=Japan and Korea Won't Let A Pandemic Stop Them Fighting |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/12/japan-and-korea-wont-let-a-pandemic-stop-them-fighting/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=Foreign Policy |date=12 March 2020}}</ref> South Korea criticised Japan's "ambiguous and passive quarantine efforts" after Japan announced travellers from South Korea must quarantine for two weeks.<ref name="HnqN4" /> South Korean society was initially polarised on President [[Moon Jae-in]]'s response to the crisis; many Koreans signed petitions calling for Moon's [[impeachment]] or praising his response.<ref name="imx38" />

Some countries passed emergency legislation. Some commentators expressed concern that it could allow governments to strengthen their grip on power.<ref name="20200331theguardian">{{#invoke:cite web || last1=Walker|first1=Shaun|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/31/coronavirus-is-a-chance-for-authoritarian-leaders-to-tighten-their-grip |title=Authoritarian leaders may use Covid-19 crisis to tighten their grip |website=The Guardian |date=31 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="20200330nytimes">{{#invoke:cite news ||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/world/europe/coronavirus-governments-power.html |last1=Gebrekidam|first1=Salem|title=For Autocrats, and Others, Coronavirus Is a Chance to Grab Even More Power |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=30 March 2020}}</ref> In Hungary, the parliament voted to allow Prime Minister [[Viktor Orbán]] to rule by decree indefinitely, suspend parliament and elections, and punish those deemed to have spread false information.<ref name="20200330cnn">{{#invoke:cite web || url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/30/europe/hungary-viktor-orban-powers-vote-intl/index.html |last1=Picheta|first1=Rob|title=Hungarian parliament votes to let Viktor Orban rule by decree in wake of coronavirus pandemic |publisher=CNN |date=30 March 2020}}</ref> In countries such as [[Egypt]],<ref name="dw53009293">{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Michaelson|first1=Ruth|title=Reporting on the coronavirus: Egypt muzzles critical journalists |url=https://www.dw.com/en/reporting-on-the-coronavirus-egypt-muzzles-critical-journalists/a-53009293 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |date=3 April 2020}}</ref> [[Turkey]],<ref name="20200401foreignpolicy">{{#invoke:cite news ||last1= Mchangama|first1=Jacob|title=Coronavirus Has Started a Censorship Pandemic |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/01/coronavirus-censorship-pandemic-disinformation-fake-news-speech-freedom/ |work=The Foreign Policy |date=1 April 2020}}</ref> and [[Thailand]],<ref>{{#invoke:cite news ||last1=Peck |first1=Grant |title=Some leaders use pandemic to sharpen tools against critics |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/coronavirus-crisis-provides-excuses-for-curbs-on-free-speech/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |work=The Seattle Times |date=16 April 2020}}</ref> opposition activists and government critics were [[Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic#Efforts to combat misinformation|arrested]] for allegedly spreading [[fake news]].<ref name="20200410straitstimes">{{#invoke:cite news ||title=Asia cracks down on coronavirus 'fake news' |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/coronavirus-asia-cracks-down-on-virus-fake-news |work=The Straits Times |date=10 April 2020}}</ref> In India, journalists criticising the government's response were arrested or issued warnings by police and authorities.<ref>{{#invoke:cite web || date=4 October 2020|last1= BAGRI|first1=NEHA|title=As COVID-19 spreads, India tries to control the narrative by targeting journalists|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-10-04/india-targets-journalists-who-report-on-covid-19|access-date=16 February 2021|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>