Legal_protection

Mass Media Defence Centre

The Mass Media Defence Centre is an NGO working in the field of media rights protection and the promotion of freedom of expression standards in Russia. Its primary purpose is to protect the rights of media outlets and the legal protection of journalists, also helping them to find pro bono lawyers and providing legal advice.

Russian Union of Journalists

The Russian Union of Journalists (Союз журналистов России) is the union representing journalists and other media workers across Russia. The Russian Union of Journalists, which is affiliated to the International Federation of Journalists, runs a defence hotline to support members who are attacked for doing their jobs. Contacts to get in touch with the union: ruj@ruj.ru and +7 (495) 637-51-01

Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti (TGC)/ Turkish Journalists' Association

Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti (TGC), the Turkish Journalists' Association, is Turkey’s largest professional organization in its sector that represents nearly 4,000 journalists. It was founded in 1946. The founders were motivated by the idea that journalists should have an independent professional organization safeguarding the principles of the profession and its members. TGC provides legal assistance to journalists facing courts regardless of whether they are members or not of the association. The TGC publishes a daily newspaper named Bizim Gazete .

Association of BH Journalists (BH Novinari)

Association of BH Journalists (BH Novinari) is a non-political and non-profit journalist association based in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. It provides free legal and advocacy support to Bosnian editors, staff or freelance journalists and other media outlets.

Contact persons at its Free Media Help Line are Borka Rudić, borka.rudic@bhnovinari.ba, + 387 33 255 602 and Una Telegrafčić, una.telegrafcic@bhnovinari.ba, + 387 33 223 818

Association of BH Journalists (BH Novinari)

Association of BH Journalists (BH Novinari) is a non-political and non-profit journalist association based in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Member of the Association of European Journalists (AEJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), it connects journalists, freelance journalists, students and other professionals working in the journalistic sector in order to protect the independency of their activities.

It also offers practical support.

Sindikat medija Crne Gore - Trade Union of Media of Montenegro

The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (Sindikat medija Crne Gore) deals with contractual disputes between staff and employers and provides journalists legal support, but it also participates in public-awareness campaigns around specific policy or regulatory issues that impact journalists’ reporting practices and rights.

Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection

The Southeast Europe Coalition on Whistleblower Protection is a regional organization dedicated to strengthening legal protections and rights for whistleblowers. It does so by investigating whistleblower cases and raising awareness of the value of whistleblowing to fight crime and corruption. The Coalition is comprised of more than 30 NGOs and other groups from 13 Southeast Europe countries.

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the world's largest organisation of journalists. First established as the Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ) in 1926 in Paris, it was relaunched as the International Organization of Journalists (IOJ) in 1946 but lost its Western members to the Cold War and re-emerged in its present form in 1952 in Brussels. Today the Federation represents around 600,000 members in 140 countries.

IFJ promotes international action to defend press freedom and social justice through strong, free and independent trade unions of journalists. Its Safety Programme includes casework, protests, campaigns, information and production of various publications. The Safety Fund, established in 1992, is an integral part of this programme that provides immediate financial relief to journalists in financial straits as a result of work-related reasons, such as:

• Forced exile due to threats at home
• Litigation
• Medical Expenses
• Travel costs

The request for assistance has to be submitted either to the IFJ regional offices in the applicant’s region or directly to the IFJ Human Rights and Communications Officer in Brussels.

Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)

The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) is a Turkish non-profit (registered as Medya ve Hukuk Çalışmaları Derneği) founded in late 2017.

The main goals of the association, as stated in its website, are:

• offering legal protection to journalists who are punished for expressing their thoughts
• promoting the public’s right to information, particularly by supporting good finance and science journalism
• promoting rights of minority groups, with a concentration on refugees and the LGBTI community.

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

Free Press Unlimited is a foundation based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which supports local journalists in war zones and conflict areas in over 43 countries.

The organization offers several support programmes for journalists at risk:

1. Emergency support: Journalists and media organisations in distress can apply for emergency support from Reporters Respond. Through this fund, Free Press Unlimited enables them to resume their work as quickly as possible when faced with obstruction, vandalism, or intimidations. More info here .
2. Legal support: With the Legal Defense Fund, Free Press Unlimited provides financial support to journalists and media organisations worldwide, giving support to journalists who face prosecution or imprisonment and who are unable to afford a lawyer or trial costs. More info here .
3. Safety trainings & tools: In collaboration with international partners, Free Press Unlimited supports (media) organisations and media workers with safety training. More info here .
4. Advocacy: Independent media and press freedom cannot exist if safety for journalists isn’t guaranteed. Therefore, Free Press Unlimited actively lobbies for a safe work environment for journalists. An environment which enables them to work free of fear and danger. More info here .