The latest in our work to protect freedom of expression

Spying in the Digital Age
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In 2021, it was revealed that thousands of journalists, politicians, and activists around the world were targeted by Pegasus spyware. Yet dozens of similar cyber-surveillance tools are cropping up, with the creation of new products that monitor the activity of a device, such as a phone or laptop, without its user’s knowledge.
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Recent key cases
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Nigeria's Twitter ban: ECOWAS Court hands down judgment

The ECOWAS Court found that Nigeria, by blocking access to Twitter, violated the rights of the Plaintiffs: five Nigerian NGOs and four journalists. Read more here ([link removed]) .


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Moya Chacón v Costa Rica: setting precedents for public interest reporting

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights' judgment in the case represents a positive step towards stronger protections for freedom of the press. Read more here ([link removed]) .
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Russia’s ‘foreign agent’ law is found to be "unlawful"


The European Court of Human Rights has handed down its long-awaited judgment in the case of Ecodefence and others v Russia ([link removed]) . In its judgment, the Court found that applying foreign agent laws to NGOs was neither prescribed by law nor necessary in a democratic society. Read more here ([link removed]) .

Are you a lawyer defending the media, or a journalist facing legal action as a result of your journalistic work?

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.

We can provide funding for your legal defence and help you find a lawyer.
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Our webinar on freedom of expression in Ukraine

In July we hosted a webinar to explore the impact of conflict on freedom of expression in Ukraine. We heard from those directly involved about the violence journalists experience, and the longer-term implications of war on press freedoms.
Watch now ([link removed])
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Join us!

Are you passionate about freedom of expression, democracy and human rights? Would you like to support our emergency defence programme and build long-term relationships with our partner organisations throughout the world? If so, apply to be our Grants Officer ([link removed]) !
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We're looking for applications from women lawyers based in sub-Saharan Africa to participate in a peer support programme. The programme will enable independent peer learning and peer support with fellow women lawyers. Learn more ([link removed]) .

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Freedom of expression has been increasingly under pressure in Poland. We spoke to our partner organisation, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, about the trends they've noticed and the challenges they're facing. Read our article here ([link removed]) .

We would like to welcome our two new trustees, Peter Hyde and Chivonne Preston, who will provide guidance over financial matters.


** The global threat to journalism...
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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.
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Media Defence has been supporting journalists from legal threats since 2008.
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