INVESTIGATIVE GRANT PROGRAMME
The work of our grant recipients has been continuously expanding.
- International documentary producer and director Paola Desiderio has finalised her work on the investigative documentary, The Law of Silence, about the murder of Colombian journalist Silvia Duzán. You can read about the documentary and story of Silvia Duzan here.
- The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine has launched The Hotline for Ukrainian and foreign journalists. The hotline has already received more than 300 requests, ranging from inquiries about the media accreditation process in Ukraine, first aid kits and armour protection, to information about the abduction of journalists (or members of their families) in the occupied areas.
ORKHAN DZHEMAL MEDIA SAFETY ACADEMY
- On June 7, Ms. Ordzhonikidze spoke with Alina Levchenko of the Legal Media Center (Kazakhstan) in a live talk on Instagram about the safety of journalists in Central Asia and how to minimise the most common risks facing media workers.
- In mid-June, the Orkhan Dzhemal Media Safety Academy held a psychological retreat for Russian-speaking journalists in exile in Armenia. The retreat aimed to help journalists overcome stress and trauma, establish life strategies, adapt to new environments, promote psychological stability, and integrate into new environments.
- More psychological retreats will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania and Tbilisi, Georgia. If you would like to take part, please send a motivation letter to academy@jfj.fund.
- Russian-speaking media workers can apply for our online and offline courses The basics of media safety and security on the Academy’s website.
EVENTS AND ADVOCACY
- On June 23, representatives of the Justice for Journalists Foundation, Article 19, European Federation of Journalists, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom and the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine spoke at the Journalism in Times of War conference, which was organised by the PACE Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media alongside the Council of Europe Safety of Journalists Platform in Strasbourg.
- Members of the Council of Europe’s Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists met with the King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in Strasbourg, France to discuss the situation with media freedom and the safety of journalists in Europe, as well as what can be done to support independent media in Russia. Ms. Ordzhonikidze talked about the work of the Justice for Journalists Foundation and how the Foundation helps with the protection of media workers, in particular, Ukrainian and independent Russian journalists.
- On June 27, along with representatives of Memorial, OVD-Info, Agora, and Public Verdict, the Justice for Journalists Foundation briefed the UN Human Rights Committee members on violations of the independent media workers’ rights by the Russian Federation. Submissions by the Justice for Journalists Foundation can be read here and here.
- From June 29-30, the the Justice for Journalists Foundation’s team took part in a meeting of the Partner Organisations to the Safety of Journalists’ Platform of the Council of Europe in Budapest, Hungary. The Platform’s partners discussed ways to enhance their working methods with a view to reinforcing dialogue with member states, future advocacy activities and began preparing their next annual report. You can read the 2022 Annual report here.
- The Platform partners have also discussed the state of media freedom in Hungary with Mr. András Dési, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of 168 Óra and Mr. László Lengyel, Executive Vice-president of the Hungarian Press Union. This meeting was followed by an exchange with Hungarian officials responsible for the media, during which the parties discussed concerns with regard to developments of the last 10 years.
ANTI-SLAPP WORK
- Guest blog for the Bar Council, where the co-chairs of the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition call for legal reforms to protect the public interest.
- SLAPPs: An All-Too Real Problem by Charlie Holt (English Pen and Greenpeace), Susan Coughtrie (The Foreign Policy Centre) and Jessica Ni Mhainin (Index on Censorship).