Carlos Gaio

Azerbaijan unlawfully convicted investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova. This is the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which also found that the proceedings were unfair, arbitrary and baseless. Read more about her case here: https://bit.ly/4agQlQ7

🇫🇷 Vexatious proceedings against L'Empaillé, have been dismissed. The independent outlet was prosecuted for “public insult” following an investigation into local police.

⚖ Read about the Ripostes fund that covered L’Empaillé's legal costs: bit.ly/40jDBlH

Journalist Javeria Siddique speaks to Columbia Global Freedom of Expression about grief, harassment, and her cross-border legal fight for justice for the killing of her late husband, investigative journalist Arshad Sharif.

🔗 Full interview: bit.ly/4cxEP49

🗞️ In this month’s newsletter: a win for Khadija Ismajilova against Azerbaijan, resources for journalists in the US, a sentence reduction for Kingsley Njoka in Cameroon and other key press freedom updates from us and from our partners. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3O1QVIS

I am in extreme grief and disappointed,
@javeriasiddique.bsky.social
told us after #Pakistan’s Highest Court closed the case of her husband's murder, investigative journalist Arshad Sharif. 🔗https://mailchi.mp/columbia/pakistan-court-closes-case-of-slain-journalist-arshad-sharif?e=[UNIQID]

Billet de blog | La cour d'appel confirme l'annulation de l'attaque en diffamation de Michel Assor Un an et huit mois plus tard, la pression s’allège. Dans une décision rendue ce mardi 27 janvier 2026, la cour d’appel d’Aix-en-Provence a débouté le chirurgien Michel Assor de son attaque en diffamat...

Une autre victoire importante dans un procès bâillon en France. Bien joué, @marsactu.fr!

marsactu.fr/agora/la-cou...

@fondspresselibre.org @mediadefence.bsky.social

📢 Landmark Judgment: Khadija Ismayilova, represented by Media Defence and Azeri counsel, secures win against #Azerbaijan at European Court. The ECtHR found her conviction baseless - rebuking the use of trumped-up, ostensibly non-speech related charges to silence critical reporting.

bit.ly/4q4Vhwa

Khadija Ismayilova, represented by MD and Azeri counsel, secures win against #Azerbaijan at European Court. The
ECtHR found her conviction baseless - rebuking the use of trumped-up, non-speech related charges to silence critical reporting.

bit.ly/4q4VhwaKhadija

Khadija Ismayilova Secures Win against Azerbaijan at European Court - Media Defence The European Court of Human Rights has found that the criminal conviction of Khadija Ismayilova, a renowned Azeri journalist and civil society activist, was baseless.

@mediadefence.bsky.social represented renowned Azeri journalist Khadija Ismayilova at the @echr.coe.int. The Court concluded that the violation of Ismayilova’s freedom of expression was unlawful, grossly arbitrary and incompatible with the rule of law.

👉 www.mediadefence.org/news/khadija...

Journalist Lê Đình Lượng is serving a 20yr sentence that the UNWGAD has ruled arbitrary. Media Defence continues to support his case and calls for access to urgent medical care, an end to his solitary confinement, and his immediate release.

👉 www.mediadefence.org/news/le-dinh...

SLAPPs: la nueva forma de censura silenciosa contra el periodismo en Centroamérica | Por Wilfredo Miranda El periodismo independiente centroamericano ha entendido algo esencial, además de resistir, ya sea incluso desde el exilio: Que la defensa no solo está en los tribunales, está en la solidaridad, la co...

Los procesos contra Marlon Mora en Costa Rica representan una grave amenaza a la libertad de prensa en Centroamerica. @piruloar.bsky.social habla sobre eso acá: www.divergentes.com/slapps-la-nu...

Nos complace destacar Fondo Futuro, un nuevo modelo para fortalecer la sostenibilidad del periodismo independiente en Colombia, incubado por la Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP), en colaboración con el International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM).

Conoce más: futuroperiodismo.org

More than five years after Cameroonian journalist Samuel Wazizi died in military custody, there has been no independent investigation, no autopsy, and no accountability.

Media Defence has taken his case to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

www.mediadefence.org/news/seeking...

The ECtHR Grand Chamber held that sanctioning a judge for FB posts violated his freedom of expression. MD submitted an amicus in the case, noting the importance of judges engaging with the press on matters of public interest. Read our comments here:
https://bit.ly/4aQMDNE

Palestinian journalists, like Wael Al-Dahdouh, put their lives on the line to record & report Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Over 260 media professionals have been killed in occupied Gaza since Oct 2023.

The targeting of journalists is a war crime, and each death must be investigated as such.

We’re grateful to the lawyers and journalists who stood with us this year - your courage and expertise help defend the right to report. To keep supporting us in 2026, donate here: https://bit.ly/44CBJar

Thank you for standing with us!

Angélica Cárcamo, Executive Director of Red Centroamericana de Periodistas, outlines the worsening press freedom environment in El Salvador
🎥 She told us about her work at our Litigation Surgery in Costa Rica with the UN Human Rights Regional Strategies Project for Latin America OACNUDH

At the ARIJ 18th annual forum, Media Defence partnered with arijnetwork to host a regional litigation surgery bringing together lawyers from across the MENA region. Thank you to everyone who participated for sharing their insights and experience.

1/5 🌍 On #HumanRightsDay, we highlight 3 journalists who exposed human rights abuses and have faced grave reprisals. Their stories underpin the human cost when press freedom is attacked, and the ongoing need to defend those who report in the public interest. 👇

🗞️ Don’t miss this month’s Press Freedom Newsletter: updates on our mentorship programmes, our latest webinar on impunity, Brazil’s new journalism movement, and the latest news on global press freedom from our partners and us. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/4oBpzpt

Thank you to everyone who joined our Asia Pacific Litigation Surgery in Kuala Lumpur!

12 participants from 10 countries explored FoE, privacy, digital rights, surveillance, journalist safety, SLAPPs and more.

https://www.mediadefence.org/?post_type=news&p=28805&preview=true

Media Defence welcomes the court decision to set aside the protection order against journalist Thomo Nkgadima.

While the ruling is positive, it underscores a worrying trend in SA: protection orders, designed for victims of domestic violence, are being misused to gag journalists.

👉 bit.ly/48cE3WA

As #GIJC25 ends in Kuala Lumpur, we’re grateful for an inspiring week with 1,500+ journalists working to uncover the truth despite rising pressures. Our panel on Privacy vs. Accountability tackled the misuse of regulation to silence reporting - and how journalists and defenders can respond.

We’re at #GIJC25 in Kuala Lumpur!

📍 Booth: Fri, Nov 21 — Foyer, opposite Hall 3
🎙️ Panel: Privacy vs. Accountability — 9:15–10:30 am, Nov 22 (KLCC L3, Room 306)
🛠️ Legal Clinic — Nov 21 and 22 (Room 304)

See you there!

#France: Proceedings against @arianelavrilleux.com
were dismissed - but the Court of Appeal plans to challenge the ruling, putting her at risk again. Her ordeal shows how national security laws are used to target those exposing potential state wrongdoing.

🔗 bit.ly/4qYkPfS

The Colombian Supreme Court upheld convictions of two former DAS officials for the aggravated torture of journalist @JulieDuque1, who faced over two decades of persecution for her reporting.

Media Defence and @FLIP_org urge action in pending cases.

📖 bit.ly/3LBV1Gg

Missed our latest webinar?

The recording of our session is now available to stream.

Moderated by Media Defence’s Wiebke Hangst, the webinar featured Duy (Dan) Hoang, Tsema Ede, Furkat Tishaev, and Carlos Domínguez Hernández.

📺 Watch it here: bit.ly/47Qhk2C

Thank you to all who joined our #IPIWorldCongress panel about the future of universal human rights in a changing global order.

We’re also proud to have participated in UNESCO's new report on SLAPPs, launched during the event. Read the full report here: bit.ly/4hHAnRc

There's still time to register for our webinar about impunity for crimes against journalists and what human rights bodies can do to reduce it. Sign up today: https://bit.ly/47PNAUy

85% of journalist killings remain unsolved, according to @UNESCO. What role can regional courts & UN mechanisms play in changing that?

Join @mediadefence.bsky.social on Nov 3 for a global webinar tackling impunity for crimes against journalists.

🔗 Register: https://twp.ai/9PWcBe