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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
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UN Working Group finds Viet Nam is Unlawfully Detaining Journalist Nguyễn Lân Thắng
In an Opinion published in late 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) held that the detention of independent journalist Nguyễn Lân Thắng is arbitrary and in contravention of his rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Media Defence represented…
Stronger Together: Working with Funded Partners in 2024
Established in 2009 our Funded Partner programme supports local legal centres worldwide that focus on the defence of journalists.
Press Freedom Is at Risk — Help Us Defend Journalists
When journalism is silenced, power goes unchecked — and people suffer, especially those already marginalised. That’s why Media Defence exists: to protect journalists facing legal threats, so they can keep reporting the truth without fear of retaliation. Since 2008, we’ve supported over 2,000 journalists and independent outlets around the world. But the legal landscape has…
Albanian Constitutional Court upholds right to confidentiality of sources
Deciding on a constitutional complaint filed by journalist Elton Qyno after authorities had seized his professional and personal devices, the Albanian Constitutional Court has handed down its judgment on 22 April 2025. The ruling upholds freedom of the press and recognises the importance of the right to confidentiality of sources. The Constitutional Court found that…
The Legal Minefield of Investigating Tech: Insights from Our CEO
At the 2025 International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Media Defence CEO Carlos Gaio joined a panel discussion titled “When Removing Bylines Isn’t Enough: How Can Journalists Safely Investigate Tech in 2025?” (Watch in full below). The conversation explored the growing threats facing those who report on powerful technology companies — and the tools they can…
El impacto de nuestras cirugías de litigio: Una conversación con el abogado Jorge Ruiz del Ángel
El año pasado entrevistamos al abogado mexicano de derechos humanos Jorge Ruiz del Ángel sobre su experiencia participando en una de nuestras cirugías de litigio y su incorporación a nuestra red global de abogados/as. Nuestras cirugías de litigio Las cirugías de litigio son un componente clave del trabajo global de Media Defence y se ofrecen…