European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) - Support Centres

ECPMF offers several support programmes for journalists at risk.

- Journalists-in-Residence programme: The ECPMF’s Journalists-in-Residence (JiR) programme offers temporary shelter for journalists facing harassment and intimidation as a direct result of their work. Journalists get the chance to rest and recuperate in a safe and discreet place, and also to continue their investigative work at their own pace and use their time in Leipzig for networking and finding solidarity. The JiR programme lasts for either three or up to six months, and includes a rent-free furnished apartment in Leipzig, as well as a monthly stipend to cover basic living costs. It also covers travel and visa expenses, health insurance, psychological counselling, and journalism-related training sessions on topics like digital security, mobile reporting and social media management. More info here .

- Legal support: ECPMF offers and coordinates legal support on matters related to free speech for individuals and organisations working in countries located geographically in Europe. More info here .

- Helpdesk: he Helpdesk is ECPMF central tool for responding to the individual needs of journalists at risk and under threat. ECPMF supports media professionals across Europe in order to find a place of safety in emergency cases and we assist exiled journalists in Germany, irrespective of their origin. More info here .

- Women’s Reporting Point: it aims to deepen a gender-specific aspect of the safety of journalists and encourages female media workers to report it if they are subjected to harassment or they witness it in their journalistic work. Reports received are given priority, treated confidentially and are only handled by women staff. More info here .

ARTICLE 19 - Stakeholders

ARTICLE 19  takes its name from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Headquartered in London since 1987, it operates worldwide to actively promote freedom of expression and information. It campaigns with people around the world for the right to exercise these rights, in particular designing laws and policies that protect free expression, holding abusers and governments to account, and advocate for legal reforms.

ARTICLE 19 also provides practical support for journalists and media practitioners under threat.  

CMPF E-learning for journalists: Defamation - Training

Mastering notions and legal standards related to defamation is essential for journalists in order to know and protect their rights, in particular their right to freedom of expression. This course offers a knowledge basis regarding relevant notions, national laws, international and European standards

Online Media Autonomy: Security Risks and Protection Mechanisms. Walking on the Digital Edge - Reports

The Guide “Online Media Autonomy: Security Risks and Protection Mechanisms. Walking on the Digital Edge” by Share Foundation assesses the conditions of online media and journalists in the Serbian digital environment

Access Info Europe - Stakeholders

Access Info Europe is a human rights organisation based in Madrid (Spain) dedicated to promoting and protecting the right of access to information in Europe as a tool for defending civil liberties and human rights, for facilitating public participation in decision making, and for holding governments accountable.

Albanian Media Institute - Stakeholders

The Albanian Media Institute (AMI) is based in Tirana and is engaged in media policy issues such as the improvement of media legislation, Code of Ethics, various issues related to freedom of expression and access to information. The Institute has organized several research works, and provides training courses for journalists. 

ActiveWatch Media Monitoring Agency - Stakeholders

ActiveWatch Media Monitoring Agency is a human rights organization based in Bucharest (Romania) that militates for free communication for public interest. ActiveWatch was founded in 1994 as a media monitoring department of the Catavencu Cultural Academy. It promotes 4 major directions of social intervention: good governance policies, freedom of expression, anti-discrimination and media education.

Assessment of media system in Macedonia - Reports

The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) presents different causes of the drastic deterioration of press freedom in the country. Among the elements considered are the abuse of legal proceedings, the connection among media, public money and advertisement, as well as the need for amending the law on audiovisual media services and public broadcasting

Media reform stalled in the slow lane. Soft censorship in Serbia - Reports

The document released by WAN-IFRA in collaoration with BIRN as part of the project on soft censorship around the world, reports on Soft Censorship practices and its effects on media liberty in Serbia

Protecting the reputation of the council - Legal Resources

Athelstane Aamodt considers attempts by local authorities to protect their reputation and analyses a recent European Court of Human Rights ruling