Can Tech Save Press Freedom?

Overview
 
Join us as we mark the World Press Freedom Day for a discussion on Media, Power, and Technology in South Asia.

Welcome to a symposium on Press Freedom

Join the discussion on how politics, technology, and digitalization are reshaping media, journalism, and access to information. We hereby invite you to a symposium marking UNESCO World Press Freedom Day 2026, where you will meet journalists and experts addressing the critical challenges facing press freedom in a South Asian context.

In recent years, press freedom in South Asia has experienced a steep decline, marked by intensified government suppression, violations of media rights, and a worrying rise in the killing of journalists.

During this half‑day symposium, we will explore these issues together with experts and practitioners working in the region. The event will be held in English.

Programme:
08.30 – Breakfast served in the lobby
09.00 – Introduction
09.15 – World Press Freedom Index 2026
09.45 – Break
10.00 – Presentations
10.50 – Coffee break
11.00 – Panel discussion
12.00 – End

Speakers:
Erik Larsson is the spokesperson and chair of the Swedish section of Reporters Without Borders (Reportrar utan gränser, RSF), a role he has held since May 2023. He is an experienced journalist, formerly editor-in-chief of OmVärlden, and frequently speaks in the media about press freedom, threats against journalists, and international issues related to freedom of expression.

Naila Saleem is the South Asia correspondent at Sveriges Radio. She has reported extensively in the region for many years. Read more about Naila Saleem here.

Pranto Palash is a journalist, poet, and human rights activist from Bangladesh. Since January 2025, he has been based in Gothenburg, where he is a “writer in exile” through the organization ICORN (International Cities of Refuge Network). As a journalist, Palash has worked for Daily Jaijaidin, Banglamail24.com, NTV Online, and Gonoraai as both a reporter and editor. He has written about religious fundamentalism, social discrimination, internal armed conflicts, and the rights of minorities and women. Because of his work as a journalist and writer, as well as his activism and openness about being an atheist, he has been threatened and harassed by members of both political parties and Islamist groups. Pranto Palash debuted as a poet in 2012 and has since had five poetry collections published. Read more about Pranto Palash here

Sulochana Ramiah Mohan is an investigative journalist and deputy editor at the English-language newspaper Ceylon Today in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She holds a degree in English literature from Pune, India, and she continued her education in international relations and journalism. She writes on international affairs, South Asian and Asian geopolitics, human rights, trade and business, the environment, climate change, politics, and social justice. She has also investigated issues related to the Sri Lankan civil war, which ended in 2009. Sulochana Ramiah Mohan has been named and awarded “Journalist of the Year in Sri Lanka” on multiple occasions, most recently in 2025. Read more about Sulochana Ramiah Mohan here

Hosts:
School of Journalism at Lund University
Swedish South Asian Studies Network (SASNET) at Lund University
Magazine Sydasien
Media Evolution