Support centres

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is a Canadian organization founded in 1981 that works to defend and protect the right to free expression in Canada and around the world.

CJFE carries out monitoring, defence and reporting activities on free expression and access to information in Canada and abroad. Rooted in the field of journalism, CJFE promotes a free media as essential to a fair and open society.

CJFE runs a programme called Journalists in distress: securing your digital life , a platform the includes information on how to protect yourself while browsing the web, while using instant messaging and social media, how to secure your passwords and e-mail, and other privacy and security issues. The guide also includes information for getting help from supportive organisations and how to mitigate risks and protect yourself during your search for help. A section is dedicated on precautions to prevent governments, authorities, intelligence or security agents as well as other potential threats to control and easily access your data and devices.

Center for the protection of freedom of expression - Centar za zaštitu slobode izražavanja

Inaugurated in July 2015, the Center for the protection of freedom of expression is a service offered by the Association of Croatian Journalists (Hrvatsko Novinarsko Drustvo). The Center is open to collaboration by all interested lawyers, experts and other professionals who want to contribute to this project aiming to protect freedom of expression. Interested professionals may contact the Center at the HND (telephone number 01 4828 333) or by contacting the president of HN, Saša Leković (mob.: 098 484049). The timetable of lawyer available at the Center can be consulted here .

Civil Rights Defenders

A support centre that partners with and supports human rights defenders who work in some of the world’s most repressive regions on four continents.

Through advocacy, litigation, and public campaigns, CRD advance people’s rights globally and also act as Sweden’s watchdog civil rights group.

Among the support activities, there are security training, emergency support, expertise, organisational development, and long-term financial support.

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

CPJ provides support to frontline journalists, and work to ensure that all journalists, including freelancers and media support workers, are aware of safety and security issues before entering a conflict zone. CPJ works to prevent deaths, detentions, kidnappings, and other dangers through information sharing and practical guidance. It also provides on-the-ground advocacy and rapid response support to journalists who are injured, imprisoned, or forced to flee because of their work.

CPJ Journalist Assistance program dispenses emergency grants to journalists in distress worldwide through CPJ’s Gene Roberts Emergency Fund (not available for organizations, media outlets, or media projects). More information and resources here.

CPJ is a founding member of the ACOS Alliance, which stands for ‘A Culture of Safety’ and promotes the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles which news organizations and press groups have signed. More information and resources here.

CPJ is also a member of the Journalists in Distress (JID) network, a group of 18 international organizations that provide direct assistance to journalists and media workers whose lives or careers are threatened because of their work. Each organization has its own mandate and criteria for emergency assistance; the network does not engage in joint advocacy. More information here.

CPJ’s four-part Safety Kit provides journalists and newsrooms with basic safety information on physical, digital and psychological safety resources and tools.

E-mail: emergencies@cpj.org.

Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND)

Founded in 1910, the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND) has more than 2500 members. Its main goals are to defend freedom of speech, freedom of information and journalists’ rights. In 2015, it also founded the Center for Freedom of Expression which provides pro bono legal services and education to journalists. The HND is member of the International Journalist Federation (IFJ).

Danish Union of Journalists

The Danish Union of Journalists (Dansk Journalistforbundm, DJ) was founded in 1961. It has more than 18,000 members.

It is a member of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (EFJ).

Digital Defenders Partnership

The Digital Defenders Partnership (DDP) was formed in 2012 by the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC). The aim of the DDP is to protect and advance internet freedom, and to keep the internet free from emerging threats, specifically in repressive environments. DDP coordinates emergency support for individuals and organizations such as human rights defenders, journalists, civil society activists, and bloggers. The DDP affirm to have "a people-centered approach, focusing on our core values of transparency, human rights, inclusivity & diversity, equality, confidentiality, and freedom".

The DDP has three different types of funding that address urgent emergency situations, as well as longer-term grants focused on building capacity within an organization. Furthermore, DDP coordinates a Digital Integrity Fellowship where organizations receive personalized digital security and privacy trainings, and a Rapid Response Network program.

Digital Freedom Fund (DFF)

The Digital Freedom Fund supports Europe’s digital rights litigators – NGOs, pro bono lawyers and sometimes regular litigators – enabling them to become more effective in their work. They do this in a number of ways:

- through grants to support the legal, advocacy, research, and other costs involved in litigation;

- through facilitating digital rights actors’ access to pro-bono legal support.

DFF is supported by Open Society Foundations, Adessium Foundation, Omidyar Network, Renewable Freedom Foundation and the Democracy and Media Foundation.

E-mail: grants@digitalfreedomfund.org

DLA Piper

DLA Piper is a private law firm that provides legal support to staff and freelance journalists, editors, media outlets; civic media/bloggers as well as NGOs that provide legal, financial or advocacy support for journalists/media outlets, and/or journalist associations in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and UK.

The person to be contacted is Özgür Kahale from Pro Bono Counsel (ozgur.kahale@dlapiper.com or +33 1 40 15 25 13). The fee is Pro Bono.