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What We Do
Emergency Defence
We fund legal defence for journalists and independent media across the world.
Strategic Litigation
We take on strategic cases to promote and improve media freedom.
Capacity Building
We build local legal capacity to defend journalists through legal training and by funding local legal centres to defend journalists.
What’s new
See All NewsDigital Rights Nepal: safeguarding freedom of expression online
Welcome to the latest instalment of our Partners blog series. In this series, we interview our partners from around the world about their critical work in protecting freedom of expression. This time our communications coordinator Anoushka Schellekens, spoke to Santosh Sigdel, rights activist, and co-founder of our newest partner organisation, Digital Rights Nepal (DRN). Santosh discusses…
Mamunur Rashid Nomani charged with violating Bangladesh’s Digital Security Act
Journalist Mamunur Rashid Nomani, editor of the local online news portal Barishal Khobor, has been charged with violating Bangladesh’s Digital Security Act (DSA), following an accusation claiming that he secretly filmed the mayor of Barisal and his family. Nomani rejects this, alleging instead that he and two of his acquaintances – Kamrul Mridha, working for…
Media Defence extends partnership with three organisations in sub-Saharan Africa
As part of Media Defence’s project Empowering Women in Digital Rights Advocacy, we are building a strong legal defence network in sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this goal, we are providing financial assistance to organisations to establish legal aid units or media defence centres. We are excited to announce that, as part of this project, we are extending…
15 Years of Impact: Internet Shutdowns
This year marks Media Defence’s 15th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, we will be taking a look at the ways in which freedom of expression has been threatened around the world, and how we have sought to protect it. The internet has become an essential part of modern life. It has transformed the way we…
Call for Consultants: Modules on Digital Rights and Freedom of Expression in Europe
Purpose of the consultancy contract The purpose of the consultancy contract is to draft nine modules on digital rights and freedom of expression in Europe. Background Media Defence’s vision is a world where journalists no longer face legal challenges that threaten their ability to report freely and independently on issues of public interest, allowing citizens…
Kurdish journalists finally released after a year
Fifteen Kurdish journalists, held for over a year on charges related to their work, have been released after a two-day hearing that concluded on July 12, 2023. The court imposed a travel ban on them and rescheduled the trial to November 9, 2023. They potentially face 15-year sentences for '"membership of an unlawful organisation". Our…