Resources to support journalist safety in Europe

Support: Legal Support

  • Fund
    Living Expenses
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Assistance Desk: Individual Support
    Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) – Reporters Without Borders International
    Legal fees if you are wrongfully prosecuted; Resolution of most urgent needs if you decide to flee abroad because of threats and persecution; Support to threatened journalists to find a safe refuge; Financial and administrative support for families of journalists to cope with the consequences of the reprisals to which their loved-ones have been exposed; Financial and administrative support for medical care if you are a victim of violence due to your work.
  • Advice
    Center for the Protection of Freedom of Expression
    Croatia Journalists’ Association – Hrvatsko novinarsko društvo (HND)
    legal advice and protection (proceedings instituted against them, discrimination)
  • Fund
    Equipment
    Living Expenses
    Physical Safety
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Emergency Assistance Program (EAP)
    Freedom House
    Frontline Defenders (FLD)
    Legal representation and trial monitoring; Humanitarian assistance and dependent support; Equipment replacement if confiscated or damaged; Improving physical security of home or office; Medical expenses, including psycho-social support; Temporary relocation, including for dependents affected by the threat.
  • Fund
    Emergency Defence
    Media Defence
    If confronted with legal action as a result of the reporting: Funding for legal defence; Advice to find a lawyer; Technical legal support to lawyer; Support to bring legal action to compel the state to protect the journalist’s rights if they have been violated, including to investigate abuses and bring perpetrators of attacks to justice.
  • Fund
    Digital Safety
    Living Expenses
    Physical Safety
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Emergency Fund
    Civil Rights Defenders
    Funds for security improvement (for example digital security software); Legal Aid; Humanitarian support; Funds for security improvement (for example specific security improvements like steel doors or security cameras); Psychosocial support; Emergency fund for temporary relocation.
  • Fund
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Emergency Fund
    International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF)
    Legal aid to counter threats of imprisonment or censorship;  Small grants for psychological and medical care for incidents directly related to threats and crises caused by your work; Three months of temporary relocation assistance in the event of crisis or threat.
  • Fund
    Digital Safety
    Living Expenses
    Physical Safety
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Emergency grant for human rights defenders at risk
    ProtectDefenders.eu
    Emergency financial and material support for digital security; Emergency financial support for legal fees; Emergency financial support for humanitarian assistance (including family support); Emergency financial and material support for physical security; Emergency financial support for medical support (including psychosocial support and rehabilitation); Emergency financial support for relocation
  • Fund
    Digital Safety
    Equipment
    Living Expenses
    Physical Safety
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Emergency material support to human rights defenders at risk
    OMCT World Organisation Against Torture
    Funds for digital security; Material support; Legal support for human rights defenders who are being judicially harassed; Humanitarian assistance (including family support); Funds for physical security; Medical support (including psycho-social support and rehabilitation) to defenders who have suffered a medical condition as a result of their peaceful human rights activities; Support for temporary relocation where necessary
  • Fund
    Fondo di sostegno alle spese legali
    Federazione Nazionale Della Stampa Italiana (FNSI)
    Fund for criminal trials and civil cases
  • Advice
    Free legal aid
    Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM) – Sindikat medija Crne Gore (SMCG)
    Free legal aid: legal counseling and legal representation
  • Advice
    Free Legal Aid to Journalists and Media in Western Balkan
    Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) – Shoqata e gazetarëve të Maqedonisë (SHGM) – Здружението на новинарите на Македонија (ZNM)
    The project is conceived to provide legal aid and services, which will include organize independent professional legal observation at on-going cases before the court and provide legal advice to journalists and media. Also, the project conducts strategic litigation and legal defense of journalists before the courts in cases of criminal offenses or other cases related to violations of the right to freedom of expression in North Macedonia.
  • Fund
    Free legal assistance
    Ossigeno per l’Informazione
    Free legal aid Financial contribution to support the legal costs necessary for defence in civil or criminal defamation proceedings
  • Advice
    Free legal assistance
    Sindikat novinarjev Slovenije (SNS)
    Representation in relation to media management and owners, state institutions and other organisations Provides free legal assistance and support in disputes between employees and employers
  • Advice
    Free legal help
    Advocate
    Free legal support if you are based in England or Wales. Barristers can: Represent you in any court/tribunal; Give legal advice in a meeting or over the phone; Give legal advice in writing; Draft documents such as skeleton arguments.
  • Fund
    Free legal support
    Association des Journalistes Professionnels (AJP)
    By telephone, in writing or by appointment, the AJP will advise you and answer your legal and social questions relating to the exercise of your profession. With the agreement of its Board of Directors, the AJP will pay the lawyer’s fees and legal costs.  
  • Advice
    Free Legal Support
    Association of Professional Journalists of Albania (APJA) – Gazetarët Profesionistë të Shqipërisë (SHGPSH)
    Association helps with free legal support by contacting civil lawyers, who provide pro bono legal advice.
  • Advice
    Free legal support
    Trade Union of Croatian Journalists (TUCJ) – Sindikat novinara Hrvatske (SNH)
    Free legal support
  • Fund
    Freedom of Information & Media Defence
    International Lawyers Project
    Pro bono, expert legal support and defence for journalists who are engaged in exposing corruption, tax evasion, environmental damage and trafficking of wildlife or natural resources, worldwide.
  • Fund
    Living Expenses
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Support in Exile
    Gene Roberts Emergency fund
    Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
    Logistical support to journalists when they resettle in exile; Placement in safe havens and short-term emergency; fellowships around the world; Basic living expenses; Funds for psychosocial support and medical aid; Legal support fund.
  • Fund
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Hilfe bei Mobbing & Gewalt
    younion _ Die Daseinsgewerkschaft
    Up to 350 euros support per year for psychosocial support in harassment and violence, sexual violence, discrimination matters Up to 350 euros support per year for legal support in harassment and violence, sexual violence, discrimination matters
  • Fund
    In the front line – protecting journalists digital safety in the time of crisis
    Balkan Investigative Report Network (BIRN)
    legal support, online crisis communication, technical support
  • Advice
    Juridisch spreekuur
    Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (NVJ)
    A connection to a lawyer or lawyer from the NVJ who can give you advice.
  • Advice
    Know your rights
    Pro Bono Italia
    A legal education program aimed at refugees and asylum seekers, with the aim of increasing their legal knowledge and soft skills, to help them integrate better in our country, defend their interests and pursue their goals.
  • Advice
    LAS Legal Aid center
    Latvian Association Of Journalists – Latvijas žurnālistu asociācija (LŽA)
    free legal advice and respresentation
  • Fund
    Living Expenses
    Psychosocial Support and Medical Aid
    Relocation
    Le Fonds d’Urgence
    Agir ensemble pour les droits humains (AEDH)
    Subsistence costs to cover a legal or judicial assistance, covering legal costs when you are sued or filed a lawsuit; Subsistence costs to meet most basic needs for you and/or your family in exceptional situations; Subsistance costs to cover medical needs after an assault; Financial support for temporary national or local relocation.
  • Advice
    Legal advice
    Syndicat National des Journalistes (SNJ)
    legal advice depending on the situation and, if necessary, contact with lawyers
  • Advice
    Legal advice
    Slovensky Syndikat Novinarov (SSN)
    Legal advice provided under the contract of the Slovak Syndicate journalists with a law firm.
  • Advice
    Legal aid
    Hungarian Civil Liberties Union – Társaság a Szabadságjogokért (TASZ)
    free legal aid and occasional legal representation oral or written information about regulations and about our professional experiences depending on the content of the case, we recommend other civil rights protection organizations to our clients
  • Advice
    Legal aid
    Journalists’ Association Of Serbia (JAS) – Удружење новинара Србије (UNS)
    provides members with free legal aid
  • Fund
    Legal aid concerning labour rights
    Trade Union Of Macedonian Journalists And Media Workers (SSNM) – Самостоен синдикат на новинари и медиумски работници (ССНМ)
    Fees for the lawyer, in the proceedings in court etc.