London, 5 September 2016 – The Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) today announced the appointment of Pádraig Hughes as Legal Director. In this role he will lead MLDI’s legal strategies to provide support to independent media, journalists and bloggers worldwide who are under threat for their reporting, and to advance media freedoms globally.
Pádraig Hughes joins MLDI from a London based law firm specialising in international human rights law, international humanitarian law and public law. Prior to that, Pádraig was Litigation Director at a London based NGO, litigating cases before a number of international and regional tribunals on issues concerning violations of human rights including extraordinary rendition, torture, arbitrary detention, freedom of expression and discrimination. Pádraig also spent nine years as a barrister at the Irish bar, where he practised in criminal law and refugee law.
“We are thrilled to welcome Pádraig to MLDI” said Lucy Freeman, CEO of MLDI. “He is an excellent strategic lawyer and brings a wealth of litigation experience to this post.”
“I am delighted to be joining MLDI to assist in its essential work in contributing to the protection of journalists, bloggers and independent media across the world” said Pádraig.
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