Free Press Unlimited (FPU) - Support Centres

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 .

Access Now - Support Centres

Access Now is an international non-profit whose aim is to defend and extend the digital rights of users at risk around the world.

By combining direct technical support, comprehensive policy engagement, global advocacy, grassroots grantmaking, and convenings, Access Now is engaged in defending human rights in the digital age. Policy furthers Access Now’s mission by developing and promoting rights-respecting practices and policies. Another activity of Access Now is aimed to advance laws and global norms to affect long-term systemic change in the area of digital rights and online security, developing insightful, rights-based, and well-researched policy guidance to governments, corporations, and civil society. Access Now also works to  provide technology solutions and real-time advice for users at risk in circumstances where communications are not open, free, or safe. Through its 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, Access Now offers technical guidance and incident response to inform and support activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society actors on the ground.

In Europe It has offices in London, Brussels and Berlin.

The Rory Peck Trust - Support Centres

The Rory Peck Trust was established in 1995 in memory of freelance cameraman Rory Peck, who was killed in Moscow in 1993. Based in London, the Trust has grown into an international organisation that provides practical and financial support to independent journalists and their families worldwide.

The Trust assists freelancers in four main ways:

- Assistance grants: they are meant to help professional freelance journalists (and/or their family) who are facing a crisis directly related to their work. The amount of assistance varies according to the particular circumstances of the applicant, but may include medical and rehabilitation costs, subsistence costs, legal advice and relocation costs. More info here.

- Training fund: it enables freelance journalists to gain the essential skills and knowledge needed to work in difficult and potentially dangerous situations. Courses teach them to assess risk and spot danger, handle a crisis, support others and give vital first aid. More info here.

- Safety clinics: they are one-to-one consultations, held both online and in person, for freelance journalists, photographers and videographers. Security advisors provide personal guidance and advice on specific safety and risk assessment issues, assignment planning and digital security free of charge to freelancers at all stages of their career. More info here.

- Freelance resources: they are tailored to the safety, security and professional development needs of freelance journalists. These resources are free and accessible to all freelance journalists. More info here.

Association of BH Journalists (BH Novinari) - Support Centres

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

Russian Union of Journalists - Support Centres

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

ECPMF Alarm Centre for Female Journalists under Threat - Support Centres

On 8 March 2016, the ECPMF has created a special Women’s Reporting Point to address and raise awareness on increasing threats against female journalists.

Threats can be reported via encrypted messaging. The secure emails will only be opened by female staff at ECPMF headquarters and their contents will remain confidential. To provide appropriate legal assistance and solidarity to female journalists or media workers who report their cases, ECPMF is partnering with the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its Italian branch FNSI.

The rationale of this support measure stems from the consideration that female journalists are not only attacked because of their profession, they are also threatened because they are women, as pointed out also by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media. Gender-based threats, such as sexual and abusive comments, threats of rape or publishing pictures and phone numbers on sex and dating websites target women more often than men.  

ECPMF encourages all women to report attacks in order to seek help, but also to make the dimension of attacks against journalists visible: the reported cases will be collected in a database – with details of the woman’s identity removed in order to protect her – as basis of an analysis to show the scale of the problem across Europe.

Journalismfund.eu - Support Centres

Journalismfund.eu is an international NGO seated in Belgium and operating Europe - wide. Beside providing financial support to staff or freelance journalists for conducting research for an investigative journalism project, Journalismfund.eu provides advocacy support to staff and freelance journalists, editors, media outlets as well as civic bloggers.

Hungarian Civil Liberties Union - Support Centres

Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) is an NGO operating in Hungary. TASZ provides legal and advocacy support to staff and freelance journalists, editors, media outlets, civic journalists or bloggers, NGOs, and journalist associations on a pro-bono fee basis. The responsible person is Dalma Dojcsák, contactable via email ddalma@tasz.hu or phone +3612790046.

ARTICLE 19 - Support Centres

ARTICLE 19 is an international NGO based in London and operating all over Europe. Article 19 offers free legal advice and advocacy support for Staff journalists, editors, media outlets, civic journalists/bloggers, freelance journalists, NGOs, and/or journalist associations.

E-mail: info@article19.org

Front Line Defenders - Support Centres

Front Line Defenders provides rapid and practical support to human rights defenders at risk through:

• international advocacy on behalf of human rights defenders at risk, including emergency support for those in immediate danger (see here );
• grants to pay for the practical security needs of human rights defenders (see here ); 
• trainings and resource materials on security and protection, including digital security (see here );
• rest, respite and other opportunities for human rights defenders dealing with extreme stress (see here );
• opportunities for networking and exchange between human rights defenders, including at the biennial Dublin Platform (see here );
• the annual Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk;
• an emergency 24-hour phone line for human rights defenders operating in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

In emergency situations Front Line Defenders can facilitate temporary relocation of human rights defenders.

Front Line Defenders is a member of the Journalists in Distress (JID) Network.

Contact information (here ): Emergency Hotline +353 121 00489 - SKYPE: front-line-emergency