Call for National Researchers in Europe - Article

Access Info Europe is currently seeking independent, country-level researchers for several European countries to act as national researchers for the first edition of the Global Data Barometer (2020–2021)

A Grant: Modern Slavery Unveiled - Article

This grant programme offered by Journalismfund.eu aims to enable independent journalistic investigations into the exploitation of Asian victims of human trafficking and forced labour in Europe. Deadline 18 March

Democracy Declining: Erosion of Media Freedom in Poland - Reports

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) press freedom mission to Poland (November-December 2020) was lead by IPI. Here the Mission Report

Slovenia: Government Communication Office must stop controlling COVID-19 news coverage - Article

IPI calls on UKOM to ensure full media participation during press conferences

EU monitoring programme of Covid-19 disinformation - Monitoring tool

The COVID-19 monitoring programme is a transparency measure to ensure public accountability of the signatories of the Code of Practice on Disinformation, set up under the 10 June 2020 Joint Communication “Tackling COVID-19 disinformation - Getting the facts right”

MFRR calls for acquittal of Swedish documentary makers - Article

In view of the verdict in the trial of journalist Henrik Evertsson and camera operator Linus Andersson for their documentary about the sinking of the ‘MS Estonia’, the partners of Media Freedom Rapid Response stress the journalistic nature of the investigation carried out in the public interest and call for the acquittal of the two documentary makers. Here the statement:

Report Launch: MFRR Press Freedom Mission to Poland (Feb. 11, 2021) - Article

IPI and Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) present findings of recent press freedom mission to Poland

Hungary: MFRR condemns decision by Budapest court to reject temporary license extension to Klubrádió - Article

MFRR partners share their concerns over the 4th February decision by a court in Budapest to reject the temporary license extension to Klubrádió in Hungary, warning it will have far-reaching implications for what remains of media pluralism and independent journalism in the country

Press freedom in Spain in 2020: Coronavirus and five years of the ‘gag laws’ - Article

Watchdog PDLI (Plataforma en Defensa de la Libertad de Información) highlights key developments in press freedom last year

Shelter City - Support Centres

Shelter City is a nationwide initiative of Justice and Peace Netherlands to protect human rights defenders, in cooperation with a growing number of Dutch cities and local organizations.

Human rights defenders defend the rights of themselves and of others. Through their work they play an important role in the promotion of democratic values, political freedoms, and civil rights. This is a challenging and dangerous fight: they are often silenced, threatened, arrested, tortured and sometimes they disappear.

Justice and Peace established Shelter City in 2012 on the request of their network of international human rights defenders. After the first Shelter City in The Hague, Middelburg joined in 2014, followed by Nijmegen, Maastricht, Utrecht, and Amsterdam in 2015, Tilburg and Groningen in 2016 and Zwolle and Haarlem in 2017. In 2018 Deventer also joined the Shelter City network. Rotterdam followed in 2020. Tbilisi & Batumi (Georgia), Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania), Cotonou (Benin) and San José (Costa Rica) have joined the network as International Shelter City Hubs. The expectation is that other cities (in or outside the Netherlands) will join in the future as well. The growing number of applications from Human Rights Defenders under threat shows that new Shelter Cities are strongly needed.

In every Shelter City the municipality, local organizations, universities, and Justice and Peace provide the shelter and take care of the program for the human rights defender. Together with the human rights defenders they organize meetings and workshops that contribute to the raising of awareness about human rights issues among the inhabitants of the Shelter Cities.

Shelter City is affiliated with the EU Human Rights Defenders Relocation Platform