Freedom of Expression, the Media and Journalists: Case-law of the European Court of Human Rights 2016 - Books

A structured insight into the European Court of Human Rights’ case-law on freedom of expression and media and journalistic freedoms

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Indicators for the level of media freedom and journalists’ safety - Reports

Supported by the European Union, the Association of BH Journalists has produced a report which intends to measure the level of media freedom in the country throughout three main indicators

Montenegro: Indicators for the level of media freedom and journalists’ safety - Reports

Supported by the European Union, the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro has produced a report which intends to measure the country's level of media freedom using three main indicators

Whistleblowing - Prof. Dirk Voorhoof at #ECPMF2016 Conference - HTML5 video

A detailed academic and practical insight by Professor Voorhoof into the case law of the ECtHR concerning access to information, protection of leaks, whistleblowing and journalists.

Freedom of Expression and Protection of Journalistic Sources - Reports

A new extensive report on the Protection of Journalistic Sources drafted by the International Legal Research Group and published by the Council of Europe and ELSA

ECtHR: Conviction of journalists for an interview using a hidden camera infringed their freedom of expression - Legal Resources

After a lengthy legal fight, Swiss journalists obtained a positive ruling from the European Court of Human Rights, determining that their conviction for using a hidden camera in the case of insurance broker malpractice violated their rights

Protection of business secrets does not rule out the right of the press to be informed by government - Legal Resources

On 25 March 2015 the Federal Administrative Court of Germany in Leipzig ruled that representatives of the press can demand information about facts that protect business secrets from government agencies, if their right to be informed outweighs the interest of business secret protection.

Russian surveillance law - Legal Resources

In a case related to alleged mobile phone surveillance, the European Court of Human Rights decided that an editor in Russia was entitled to claim to be a victim of a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) - Support Centres

Media Defence (also known as MLDI) provides legal defence to independent media, journalists and bloggers around the world who are under threat for their reporting. MLDI does this by administering an emergency defence fund, helping journalists, bloggers and independent media pay legal fees, and provides legal expertise to the lawyer(s) defending a case. 

MLDI also engages in strategic litigation to challenge repressive laws and expand the space for media freedom. Through this, it seeks to advance respect for international law and norms on the right to freedom of expression. MLDI submits cases to domestic courts and international tribunals and intervenes in cases already under way, as well as supporting national lawyers to do the same.

In countries where the threat of legal action is high and constant, MLDI provides financial support and legal expertise to national organisations that provide legal defence services to journalists.

MLDI also runs training and networking programmes for lawyers in the fields of media law and human rights. 

E-mail: info@mediadefence.org

Germany: Press Freedom does not take precedence over relations with Ukraine and Russia - Legal Resources

On 8 December 2015, the 6th Senate of the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg decided that the Federal Government is not obliged to give information to a representative of the press on a report of the German ambassador in Ukraine