The Southeast Asian Media Legal Defence Network

A group of media lawyers in South East Asia have formed a network aimed at promoting learning and cooperation among members of the group. Initiated at a conference in Hong Kong in 2007, the Network has worked together on individual cases, led trial observations to criminal trials against journalists in Thailand and Malaysia as well as to the trial against one of their group – Vietnamese lawyer Le Cong Dinh, currently serving a prison sentence for pro-democracy activities – and organised national and regional media law workshops.

The Media Legal Defence Initiative is a longstanding supporter to the Network. We provide financial support for networking activities and expertise on comparative media law to the group.

Media Defence files urgent appeal over Viet Nam’s kidnapping of Norwegian and Australian human rights defenders

Media Defence has filed an urgent appeal with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention over the abduction, rendition and detention of Nguyen Duc Thuan and Tran Hiep, also known

Breaking Ground: The Case of Jineth Bedoya

Media Defence Mourns the Death of Sara Mendiola

Media Defence mourns the passing of Sara Mendiola Landeros, Executive Director of Propuesta Cívica, and one of Mexico's foremost legal advocates for journalists.

A free press is essential for the protection of human rights.