Legal harassment, spyware, social media blocking, and violence against journalists.

View in browser ([link removed])
A year in review: our 2022 annual report

Media Defence has launched its 2022 annual report ([link removed]) , marking the end of a pivotal year for freedom of expression.

The year 2022 has presented us with a worrying decline in press freedom. In response to their work, journalists around the world have faced legal harassment, intimidation, and other forms of persecution by those seeking to silence them. Over the last couple of years, journalists have been targeted in ways ranging from criminal charges to tax fraud allegations, from blocking content to violence or imprisonment.
Annual Report 2022 ([link removed])
[link removed]

Front cover illustration by Nardi ([link removed]) (Italy), Cartooning for Peace ([link removed])
Highlights of the year 2022
* 543 active cases.
* 188 new cases.
* 129 new emergency defence cases.
* 59 new strategic cases.
* 84% case success rate at international mechanisms.
* 18 active partner organisations.
* 59 lawyers trained.
* Legal Network for Journalists at Risk (LNJAR ([link removed]) ) launched.

[link removed]
Emergency Defence: trends & case studies
The most common case types were civil and criminal defamation. This is parallel to the global rise in strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) being used as a means to silence journalists. SLAPPs accounted for 41% of our caseload in 2022.
We supported the appeal proceedings in a civil defamation lawsuit against the Latvian non-profit investigative news outlet Re:Baltica ([link removed]) . The case concerned a story published by Re:Baltica that exposed money-laundering activities by a prominent business person and political figure in Latvia.

Thai reporter Chutima Sidasathian has dedicated herself to reporting on corruption, abuse of power and the plights of rural communities and refugees, despite repeated attempts to silence her through intimidation and legal attacks. The cases against her are emblematic of the potential abuse of criminal defamation laws by those in positions of power.

Read more on page 12 ([link removed])

Strategic Litigation: trends & case studies
In 2022, we took the most strategic cases in Azerbaijan, Colombia, Nigeria, Hungary and Russia. Most of our strategic cases related to electronic crimes, internet shutdowns and social media blocking, constitutional challenges and criminal defamation. We additionally represented one journalist and the family of another journalist who was killed, in two strategic cases that emerged from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as occupying forces targeted media covering the war.

Read more on page 14 ([link removed])
Local legal capacity building
In 2022, we worked in partnership with 18 organisations operating in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Our support enabled our partners to litigate 509 cases across a range of freedom of expression issues, nationally and internationally. In addition to financial support, we provided legal support in a number of cases taken by partner organisations. Through our training programme ([link removed]) , we also hosted 5 litigation surgeries through which we trained 59 lawyers.
Read more about our funded partners ([link removed])
[link removed]
Working with partners: the case of Human Rights Platform (HRP)
HRP ([link removed]) is a Ukrainian NGO whose key priority is the protection of freedom of speech. HRP gives legal advice and represents the interests of journalists in Ukraine before both national courts and the European Court of Human Rights.
"Due to the support of Media Defence, we are able to continue providing legal assistance to journalists and media. Moreover, we are able to offer help to Media Defence in lodging applications before the European Court of Human Rights" - Oleksandra Stepanova, CEO of HRP.
Read more on page 20 ([link removed])
Facing legal threats because of your journalism? We can help.
We support journalists – including citizen journalists, bloggers, broadcasters, photojournalists, cartoonists or fact-checkers – and news outlets when they are confronted with legal action as a result of their reporting.
Get help ([link removed])
The global threat to journalism
When independent journalists and media outlets are threatened with legal action, financial ruin, violence and imprisonment, they need somewhere to turn for concrete support. With your donation, we can be there to support more journalists than ever, as well as challenging the unjust laws through which they are silenced.
Donate today ([link removed])
Thank you!
Subscribe to our newsletter ([link removed])
Unsubscribe (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe)

============================================================
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Link ([link removed])
** LinkedIn ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
Copyright © 2023 Media Defence, All rights reserved.

** www.mediadefence.org ([link removed])
| ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=RE%3A%20Newsletter)

Registered Name: Media Legal Defence Initiative | Registered Charity 1128789 | Registered Company in England & Wales 6621203



This email was sent to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
why did I get this? ([link removed]) unsubscribe from this list ([link removed]) update subscription preferences ([link removed])
Media Defence . 5 Chancery Lane . London, WC2A 1LG . United Kingdom