Defending Media Freedom Worldwide

The Media Legal Defence Initiative exists to help journalists and media outlets defend their rights.

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Become part of our pro-bono legal network

To deliver our work we rely on the goodwill of many, many lawyers, most of whom give their time 'pro bono'.

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The Media Legal Defence Initiative receives frequent requests for legal assistance and would like to be able to provide support. With sufficient funding, we are ready and willing to respond.

Updates

Thai magazine editor should be granted bail
News Story
The Media Legal Defence Initiative, International Federation for Human Rights and Media Defence – Southeast Asia today filed an amicus curiae...
Case of murdered Indonesian journalist Udin must be reopened
News Story
On World Press Freedom Day 2013, the Media Legal Defence Initiative and a coalition of media freedom groups including the Indonesia legal center for...
Defamation charges against Cameroonian editor dropped
News Story
Victor Ndoki is the editor of the weekly newspaper “Les Nouvelles du Pays”. In April 2009, the paper published an article reporting...
Call for Trustees
News Story
We are looking for individuals with a passion for media freedom, and who share our mission to help journalists and independent media outlets defend...
The journalist and the judge
Article
 In 2000 a commission of inquiry was set up in Botswana to see whether parts of the country’s constitution discriminated against some...

Cases and Projects

Pro bono spotlight: Heather Rogers
Heather Rogers has appeared in numerous high-profile cases, representing clients as varied as Private Eye, Channel 4, the MP George Galloway and the...
Pro bono spotlight: Mark Stephens
Among many high-profile cases in which he has been involved, Mark represented the Washington Post correspondent Jonathan Randal at the International...
Strategic litigation
MLDI's strategic litigation focuses on criminal laws that are used to silence journalists and laws that restrict online publishing and internet...
The Chancellor, Gazprom and the media
In the wake of a heavy defeat for the government in regional elections, early general elections had been called. The leader of the opposition alleged...