Journalist Richard Medhurst has been arrested and intimidated by both the United Kingdom and Austria—a disturbing signal for press freedom worldwide. His crime? Exposing Western involvement in war crimes, the genocide in Gaza, and the suppression of independent journalism.
In this publication, we share the transcript of his latest video, where he reveals the details of his arrest and the confiscation of his equipment. But we go beyond that: we place his case within the broader framework of Total Information Dominance (TID)—a strategy in which states and intelligence agencies seek full control over information, journalism, and public perception.
The patterns are clear: from Julian Assange to Shireen Abu Akleh, journalists who expose state abuses are criminalized, murdered, or silenced. Medhurst is the latest in a long line, and his case shows how Western states collaborate to suppress critical voices.
What’s at stake here? The truth itself. In a world where information wars are the new norm, independent journalists are becoming targets. This publication serves as a warning: if we allow this to continue, press freedom will cease to exist.
Watch the video, read the transcript, and help bring attention to this case.
Transcript:
My name is Richard Medhurst. I'm an internationally accredited journalist from the UK. On Monday, agents from the Austrian police and intelligence services detained me, raided my home, raided my studio, and then interrogated me.
They essentially lured me into a trap.
I received a letter from the government last week from immigration summoning me for some interview at my residency. I found it a bit odd because I've lived here for a while. I never had any problems. So, having nothing to fear, I went there, went to the meeting by myself.
And then, after a few simple questions, they suddenly issued a thinly veiled threat saying they were considering revoking my residency because of my alleged reporting on Palestine and Lebanon.
So, of course, my answer was no comment.
As soon as I thought everything was over, I was ambushed by a group of plain-clothes agents. They entered the room, flashing their badges in my face, and they said that they were the Austrian equivalent of MI5 or the FBI.
They detained me and then served me with a warrant from the state prosecutor to search my home and my studio, taking all of my devices.
Why?
Because they think that I, a Christian Englishman, am a member of Hamas.
Yes, you heard that correctly.
They are accusing me of being a member of Hamas, of being part of the Qassam Brigades, of disseminating propaganda, encouraging terrorism, and being affiliated with organized crime and a terrorist group.
I mean, it's like reading something out of The Twilight Zone.
They seized my phone. Then they drove me to my residence, ransacked the place. They even took devices that I repeatedly told them do not belong to me.
Then they drove me to my studio and turned the place upside down, so I had to watch my devices being disassembled before my very eyes by a group of strangers.
All these tools that I spent years building and investing in—the core of my journalistic profession—were taken.
In total, they took five or six different laptops, computers, phones, USB sticks, hard drives, DVDs—you name it.
And although the warrant was for electronic devices only, for some reason they took photos of my residence, photos of my office, and even photos of my bathroom.
They helped themselves to anything they saw: books, papers, documents, cupboards, closets.
To tell you the truth, though, the agents treated me kindly and with respect. They didn’t deny me any of my basic needs.
Now, as you recall, I was unjustly arrested a few months ago in London. They jailed me for almost 24 hours under the terrorism act.
Strangely enough, last week, the police in England extended this investigation.
And then suddenly, this happens in Vienna.
I don’t think that is mere coincidence.
Okay, the first thing I asked the Austrian agents was: Did my government put you up to this?
And they replied: No, Britain doesn’t talk to us.
Well, forgive me, but I find that a bit hard to believe.
I do think that this persecution—this raid—is related to the case in Britain.
Now, my colleague Stefan Maritti, who worked on the Snowden papers with Glenn Greenwald, reported last month in Ilano that the British police seized a Graphene OS device for me.
And that it was very unlikely that they’d be able to crack it.
So, I suppose that’s why Britain asked the Austrians to raid me, grab anything they could find, and go on this massive fishing expedition.
You know, the warrant even mentions my arrest in London to try and add weight to their case.
The Austrian agents asked me for the passwords to my devices.
I said no, because as a journalist, I have an ethical and professional obligation to protect my sources.
None of them were compromised.
During the raid, I spoke briefly with the techs who were extracting my devices.
You know, from one nerd to another.
They told me that if they can’t crack the devices, they send them outside—sometimes to other countries, to other law enforcement agencies—and ask them for help.
That further indicated to me that this could very well be related to what’s happening in the UK against me.
Now, all these devices are work devices.
They’re my journalistic tools.
I have been left with literally nothing.
Just filming this was a struggle, okay?
Believe me—no phone, no computer, no SD cards, nothing.
They cut me off from my work, from my contacts, from my family, from my friends.
And the next day, they dropped by and gave me a list of all the things they seized.
It was 19 pages long.
I’ve spent the last months writing a book on cybersecurity, as I’m unable to report and work normally under these circumstances.
And they even confiscated my book—the book that I’ve been working on for two years now.
They just rifled through the manuscripts and notes like it was nothing.
So after watching all of my gear being dismantled, I was then ordered under this warrant to participate in an interrogation.
The agents took me down with them to the station.
I said two words: No comment.
And that was it.
Then they fingerprinted me, palm-printed me, took mugshots, and collected my DNA.
After six or seven hours of this, I was finally allowed to leave.
I categorically deny all of these accusations by the British and Austrian governments.
I'm not a terrorist.
I'm a journalist, and they bloody well know it.
Some of these Austrian accusations are very similar to the British ones, which again tells me that this is somehow coordinated.
But it’s actually a massive escalation.
They are accusing me of being a member of a prescribed organization.
I mean, this is insanity on another level.
This is detached from reality.
They’re trying to make a snowball out of nothing.
So now, because of my reporting, I’m under investigation for, quote-unquote, terrorism in two countries.
I could face up to 14 years in prison in the UK—plus another two to five years if I don’t give them the passwords to my phones.
I could face another 10 years in prison in Austria, and my residency is potentially being revoked.
Why?
For what?
For journalism.
Because of my reporting.
I mean, this is insane.
This is disproportionate state violence.
And it's not just an attack on me.
This is an attack on the entire profession—on freedom of speech, on democracy itself.
They are denying me my human right to free speech.
I'm being punished and persecuted in my country of origin, the UK, and in my country of residence, Austria.
I come from a family that worked to establish peace around the world—a family that raised me to stand against terrorism and injustice.
Please help raise awareness.
This is not just an affront to me but to all of us.
Inform your friends, inform your family, inform your colleagues, and write to your representatives.
And again, I want to stress how the police came in here, into this room.
They seized all my equipment, all of my gear.
They left me with nothing.
If you're able to, please consider contributing on GoFundMe and PayPal, so that I can get back up and running.
The links are down below.
It would really make a difference and go a long way.
Thank you so much."
PayPal: PayPal.me/papichulomin
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-richard-medhursts-journalism
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/richardmedhurst
The Arrests of Richard Medhurst in the Broader Geopolitical Context of Total Information Dominance (TID)
The arrests and intimidation of Richard Medhurst fit into a larger geopolitical pattern of controlling information and suppressing critical voices, particularly in light of the doctrine of Total Information Dominance (TID). This doctrine, rooted in U.S. military and intelligence strategy, is an expansion of earlier doctrines such as Full Spectrum Dominance, in which not only military and economic domains are controlled, but also the information space and public perception.
1. What Is Total Information Dominance?
Total Information Dominance refers to a strategic doctrine in which states and intelligence agencies seek complete control over information flows, including journalism, social media, alternative media channels, and public opinion. This goes beyond mere censorship and includes:
- Mass surveillance (NSA, Five Eyes, EU data-sharing agreements)
- Manipulation of media and social platforms (algorithmic filtering, weaponized fact-checking)
- Disinformation and psychological operations (narrative control through government-friendly media)
- Criminalization and intimidation of independent journalists
- Use of ‘lawfare’ (lawsuits and criminal charges as a means to silence critics)
- Collaboration between states and tech corporations (Palantir, Microsoft, Google working with governments)
Richard Medhurst, who reports on Western involvement in wars and Israeli operations, is an obvious target within this doctrine. His arrests and the confiscation of his equipment by both British and Austrian authorities indicate a coordinated effort to silence him and disrupt his journalistic work.
2. Why Is Medhurst a Target? What Makes Him a Threat to the Establishment?
Medhurst is not just any journalist. He falls into a category that states consider problematic: independent journalists exposing geopolitical abuses. The patterns surrounding his arrests and the charges against him indicate that he is seen as a "threat" within the information war.
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He exposes Western involvement in the Middle East.
His reporting on Syria, Palestine, and NATO operations does not fit within the mainstream narrative. His arrest can be seen as an attempt to suppress reporting that turns public opinion against Western policymakers. -
His work is influential in alternative media.
While he does not work for major mainstream networks, he has a wide international reach. Independent journalists like him are often seen as more dangerous than mainstream media figures because they are not subjected to editorial pressure or corporate censorship. -
The timing of his arrests suggests a broader coordinated action.
He was first arrested in London under the Terrorism Act, then later in Austria under allegations of “Hamas links”. This resembles a transnational intelligence operation, much like how the U.S. and UK collaborated to arrest Julian Assange. -
His equipment was seized, indicating an attempt at data extraction.
The fact that his phones, laptops, and other devices were confiscated and possibly sent to other countries suggests an attempt to expose his sources, communications, and investigations. This aligns with the broader trend of spying on journalists through spyware such as Pegasus or state-tech collaborations to access encrypted messages.
3. The Bigger Picture: Repression of Journalism and the War on Truth
Medhurst is not the only journalist being persecuted under false pretenses. His case must be seen within a broader wave of repression against critical journalists:
- Julian Assange (WikiLeaks) – Arrested and imprisoned in the UK, threatened with extradition to the U.S. for exposing war crimes.
- Glenn Greenwald – Pressured and prosecuted in Brazil for exposing corruption.
- Edward Snowden – Forced into exile after revealing NSA surveillance.
- Shireen Abu Akleh – Palestinian-American journalist for Al Jazeera, executed by Israeli forces.
The patterns are clear: journalists who expose systemic abuses are persecuted, killed, or silenced.
This strategy directly aligns with Total Information Dominance, in which states not only aim to spread their own propaganda narratives but also actively seek to eliminate any form of independent criticism. This is achieved through several mechanisms:
- Militarization of the information space – Journalists are classified as “threats” and prosecuted under anti-terror laws.
- International cooperation against critical voices – Western states collaborate to suppress dissident voices (UK-Austria in Medhurst’s case).
- Cyber and technological repression – Surveillance, seizure of equipment, and spyware are used to digitally neutralize journalists.
- Psychological warfare and character assassination – Journalists are demonized as "disinformation spreaders," "state enemies," or "terrorists".
4. Why Austria? The Role of Small States in TID
Austria’s decision to arrest Medhurst is not coincidental. Smaller European states are often used as buffer zones for repressive measures that larger countries do not want to take openly. This was previously seen with:
- The arrest of Julian Assange in the UK, with Sweden playing a key role in his extradition case.
- The use of Eastern European states for CIA black sites and renditions.
Austria has strong ties to NATO intelligence agencies, despite being officially neutral.
- It serves as a legal intermediary to pressure journalists without direct U.S. or UK involvement.
- Austrian intelligence services (BVT) have a history of cooperation with the U.S. and Israel in surveillance and repression.
It is highly likely that Austria acted based on intelligence-sharing agreements with the UK or U.S. in this case.
Conclusion: Medhurst as a Test Case for Total Information Dominance
The case of Richard Medhurst demonstrates how Total Information Dominance is not just an abstract concept but is actively being used to suppress critical voices. His arrest should be seen as an attempt to undermine journalism as a means of resistance against state power.
What is at stake here is not just the freedom of one journalist, but the broader fight for control over information in the digital age. In a world where states apply military strategies to the information sphere, every independent journalist becomes a potential target.
If this trend continues, critical journalists will be increasingly prosecuted, while states and tech companies collaborate to control access to alternative information. Medhurst’s case is not an isolated incident—it is a warning of what is to come in a world where information wars are the new norm.
What Now?
- Medhurst’s case must receive international attention, just like Assange’s.
- The role of Austria and the UK in this repression must be exposed.
- There must be a broader discussion on how Total Information Dominance is being weaponized against journalists.
The war for free information is in full swing. Medhurst is just one victim in a war where the truth is the first casualty.
Medhurst, Total Information Dominance, and the Genocide in Gaza: An Overlooked Perspective
The arrest and intimidation of Richard Medhurst should not only be seen as an attack on journalism in general but specifically as a coordinated repression of critical reporting on the genocide in Gaza. His previous focus on Syria already made him a target for Western states, but his recent in-depth coverage of Gaza has placed him at the forefront of an information war in which Israel, the UK, and other NATO countries collaborate to suppress certain narratives.
This is an extremely underreported perspective within the broader context of Total Information Dominance (TID)—namely, Israel's role in global information control and the repression of journalists who document genocide, apartheid, and war crimes.
1. Israel as a Key Player in Total Information Dominance
Israel is not merely a regional power; it is a global force in surveillance, cyber warfare, and information control. From the perspective of TID, Israel is not a passive actor but rather a central technological and strategic force driving the worldwide trend of Total Information Dominance. This manifests in several ways:
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Cyber warfare and AI surveillance
Israeli companies such as NSO Group (Pegasus spyware) and Candiru provide surveillance tools to Western governments to monitor dissidents, journalists, and activists. -
Censorship and manipulation of social media
- Israel closely collaborates with Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) and Google (YouTube) to suppress Palestinian voices, delete videos, and amplify pro-Israel narratives.
- Hasbara trolls and AI bots are deployed to manipulate online discourse.
- TikTok, X, and Instagram actively remove content documenting Israeli war crimes.
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Militarization of information
- Israeli intelligence agencies work with Western allies to target journalists like Medhurst.
- The Israeli military doctrine of "cognitive warfare" (using information as a weapon) is a core strategy of the IDF and Mossad.
Medhurst’s work falls precisely within the category that Israel wants to neutralize: he documents genocide and Israel’s role in Palestinian oppression without bowing to propaganda.
2. Why Are the UK and Austria Targeting Medhurst?
The UK and Austria are acting as proxies for a larger campaign against journalism that exposes Israeli war crimes. But why these countries specifically?
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The UK as a Transatlantic Link
The United Kingdom has historical ties to Israel, from its role in establishing the Israeli state in 1948 to ongoing military and technological collaboration.- MI5 and MI6 actively cooperate with Mossad in neutralizing pro-Palestinian voices.
- UK counterterrorism laws are increasingly used against Palestinian activists and journalists.
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Austria as a European Intermediary
- Austria is legally convenient for actions against journalists because it draws less international attention than France or Germany.
- The country has a strong pro-Israel political stance, partly due to historical guilt over the Holocaust.
- Israeli cybersecurity firms and intelligence agencies have deep influence within Austria’s security infrastructure.
This explains why Medhurst was criminalized under vague "terrorism" charges—a pattern often seen when Western countries collaborate with Israel to silence journalists.
3. The Genocide in Gaza and the Necessity of Total Information Dominance
Israel’s assault on Gaza is not just a military operation but a total information war. Medhurst’s arrests should be understood within this broader war.
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Israel has absolute control over information coming out of Gaza
- Journalists are systematically assassinated (over 100 since October 2023).
- Telecommunications and internet infrastructure are deliberately destroyed to prevent evidence of war crimes from reaching the world.
- News organizations are directly attacked (e.g., Al Jazeera’s office in Gaza).
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International censorship is coordinated
- Pro-Palestinian accounts are banned or shadowbanned.
- Universities and NGOs are pressured to change their stance.
- Western media outlets like BBC and CNN openly modify their language and framing to align with Israeli propaganda.
Controlling information is essential to sustaining the genocide, and any journalist who threatens that control becomes a target.
Medhurst is one of the few who operates outside of Israeli control mechanisms and provides real-time reporting that exposes Israel’s war propaganda—which makes him a dangerous target.
4. Medhurst as a Test Case for Future Repression
What we are witnessing here is a trial run for the global criminalization of journalism on Israeli war crimes. If Western states can successfully criminalize and isolate Medhurst, this model will be applied on a larger scale to other journalists and activists.
This means that repression of Gaza-related journalism will likely expand in the coming months and years, with more coordinated attacks on independent reporters.
Conclusion: Medhurst’s Arrests Are a Direct Attack on Gaza Reporting and a Test Case for Israeli Global Information Control
The arrests of Richard Medhurst are not isolated incidents but part of a large-scale, coordinated campaign to suppress reporting on the genocide in Gaza. Israel, alongside Western allies such as the UK and Austria, is using Total Information Dominance as a tool to silence critical voices.
The implications of this are massive:
- Israel dictates who can and cannot report on Gaza at a global level.
- Western governments actively cooperate with Israeli intelligence to criminalize journalists.
- Social media and traditional media are integral to this information war.
- The repression of Medhurst is a warning to all independent journalists: if you document Israel’s war crimes, you will be criminalized.
This is not just an attack on Medhurst but a declaration of war on truth and journalism itself. If the international community does not push back, this model will be repeated on any journalist who challenges the official narratives of Israel and its Western allies.
The war in Gaza is not only fought with bombs and tanks—it is also a war over truth. And right now, truth is one of the biggest targets.
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