Media Defence

Media Defence Media Defence provides legal support so that journalists, citizen journalists and media outlets world We work globally, where there is the greatest need.

Media Defence is an international human rights organisation which provides legal defence to journalists, citizen journalists and independent media around the world who are under threat for their reporting. We defend journalists, citizen journalists and media outlets from legal threats that violate the right to freedom of expression so that they can continue to report on issues of public interest.

By informing the public and holding power to account, a free press plays an essential role in society. Unfortunately, many journalists come under threat due to their reporting. This is why we provide legal support to ensure they can continue to report on issues of public interest. We are unique in what we do. To date, we are the only organisation in the world solely focused on providing this critical help to journalists.

Dr Chutima 'Oi' Sidasathian was a fearless investigative journalist who dedicated her life to reporting on Rohingya traf...
21/08/2026

Dr Chutima 'Oi' Sidasathian was a fearless investigative journalist who dedicated her life to reporting on Rohingya trafficking and corruption, and to standing beside marginalised communities. Even as she faced a decade of criminal charges, she refused to be silenced. Those who knew her spoke of her extraordinary courage and her characteristically wry humour. In her final years, she fought tirelessly to repeal the defamation laws that had been weaponised against her and countless others. She passed away on August 15, aged 44. Her loss is deeply felt.

Read our full remembrance to learn about her remarkable legacy and her unfulfilled campaign to challenge SLAPPs:

https://www.mediadefence.org/news/remembering-courageous-investigative-journalist-chutima-sidasathian/

10/08/2026

We recently met Kenyan lawyer Ochiel Dudley as he visited our London office. He told us about the state of press freedom in Kenya and the role Media Defence has played in supporting his work.

Read more about our global network of media lawyers on our website.

10/08/2026

Our Legal Consultant Marta Cabrera reflects on a workshop she facilitated at Festival Gabo, held in collaboration with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Co-led with Daniel Alejandro Pinilla Cadavid and Ana Bejarano, the session gave journalists practical tools for drawing on the Inter-American human rights system and the Court's jurisprudence to investigate, contextualise, and report on stories across the region. We thank Festival Gabo for hosting the workshop and all the participants for taking part. Read more about what Media Defence does and find out about our upcoming events on our website.

When a journalist is prosecuted for their reporting, who picks up the case? Usually a lawyer in their own country. Witho...
06/08/2026

When a journalist is prosecuted for their reporting, who picks up the case? Usually a lawyer in their own country. Without them, our work couldn't happen. In 2025 we funded 19 partner organisations. They litigated 427 cases.

Read more: https://www.mediadefence.org/news/partner-impact-report-2025/

Six years after Chile's military intelligence service illegally wiretapped investigative journalist Mauricio Weibel, a C...
31/07/2026

Six years after Chile's military intelligence service illegally wiretapped investigative journalist Mauricio Weibel, a Chilean court has convicted the judge and general responsible, in what press freedom organisations are calling the first ruling of its kind anywhere in the world.
Weibel's reporting on military procurement fraud and defence fund embezzlement recovered approximately USD 4.5 billion for the Chilean treasury and led to the prosecution of 850 military personnel. His work also fed a public debate that led Chile's Congress to repeal the Reserved Copper Law, redirecting roughly USD 2 billion a year from weapons purchases into the national budget.

For his reporting, Weibel was placed under illegal surveillance for years, an operation he helped expose using the same investigative methods he'd used against corruption.
Weibel spoke to Media Defence about the case, its cost, and what the ruling means for press freedom across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Read the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3Tsrzqe

: On 27 July, the Baku Court of Serious Crimes sentenced nine journalists and other individuals associated with the ind...
31/07/2026

: On 27 July, the Baku Court of Serious Crimes sentenced nine journalists and other individuals associated with the independent outlet Toplum TV to prison terms of up to 15 years, amounting to 121 years between them. The politically motivated charges related to the receipt and use of foreign funding.

The case is part of a sustained crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan that intensified after 2023.

In June 2025, six staff of the investigative outlet Abzas Media and a journalist from RFE/RL's Azerbaijani service were sentenced to between seven and a half and nine years on similar funding allegations.

Twelve defendants in the Meydan TV case have been on trial since December 2025 and remain in custody.

At least 25 journalists are now jailed in Azerbaijan in reprisal for their work.

Read the Committee to Protect Journalists statement for details of the verdict and the sentences handed down to each defendant:

https://cpj.org/2026/07/azerbaijan-cpj-condemns-shocking-sentences-handed-down-in-toplum-tv-case/

30/07/2026

Our latest newsletter is out! Highlights include:

→ Our 2025 Lawyers Impact Report: 94% of respondents said litigation surgeries strengthened their knowledge and skills in freedom of expression cases

→ Case news from France, Chile, Argentina and Hungary

→ A new UNESCO report on why journalism matters to economies, national security and crises

→ A reflection from Fellowship alumna Sumayyah J. Mokku on defending press freedom in Kenya

Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3U200nK

30/07/2026

The High Court in Harare has quashed criminal charges against Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba. Zaba had been arrested and charged over a satirical column critical of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, ending a prosecution that lasted nearly a year. In this video, Zaba comments on the outcome of the case.

Read more on our website for full details of the ruling and the support Media Defence provided:

https://www.mediadefence.org/news/zimbabwe-high-court-quashes-criminal-charges-against-faith-zaba-over-satirical-column/

Human rights journalism requires courage, but it also requires the right tools. At the 14th Festival Gabo, our legal con...
24/07/2026

Human rights journalism requires courage, but it also requires the right tools. At the 14th Festival Gabo, our legal consultant Marta Cabrera will co-facilitate the workshop Journalism and Human Rights: How to Tell Stories with the Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court, alongside Daniel Pinilla and Ana Bejarano.

A hands-on session for journalists covering human rights in Latin America, exploring how to use the Inter-American Human Rights System as an investigative resource: real cases, research methodologies, and digital tools for reporting in contexts where rights are under threat.
Festival Gabo takes place 24–26 July in Bogotá.

And check out the full event schedule here: https://bit.ly/444cmgQ
🔗 festivalgabo.com

A new UNESCO report quantifies the value of independent journalism:→ US$1 invested in journalism can generate over US$10...
23/07/2026

A new UNESCO report quantifies the value of independent journalism:

→ US$1 invested in journalism can generate over US$100 in public savings through reduced corruption and better public services
→ Disinformation costs societies an estimated US$355–516 billion a year
→ Funding healthy public media worldwide would cost roughly 0.1% of global GDP
→ Each additional New York Times story on a disaster corresponded to US$500,000 more in emergency aid, across a study of 2,337 disasters

Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/4pA8rT3

Address

London

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Media Defence posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category