Media Defence provides legal help to journalists, citizen journalists and independent media across the world.

“Thanks to the support, I never felt alone or intimidated during the last three years. It’s fundamental for freelance journalists who are not backed by a media company to get this free legal assistance.”

Raffaella Cosentino, Journalist

“There are certainly some people who think every story must be balanced, but to me, really good journalism is about changing what’s wrong with the world.”

Alan Morison, Founder of Phuketwan

What We Do

Emergency Defence

We fund legal defence for journalists and independent media across the world.

Strategic Litigation

We take on strategic cases to promote and improve media freedom.

Capacity Building

We build local legal capacity to defend journalists through legal training and by funding local legal centres to defend journalists.

Reports, Events & Opportunities

2025 Annual Impact Report: Defending Truth

2025 Journalist Impact Survey

Launching our 2025-2029 Strategy

Latest Articles

Media Defence files urgent appeal over Viet Nam's kidnapping of Norwegian and Australian human rights defenders

Media Defence has filed an urgent appeal with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention over the abduction, rendition and

Breaking Ground: The Case of Jineth Bedoya

Media Defence Mourns the Death of Sara Mendiola

Media Defence mourns the passing of Sara Mendiola Landeros, Executive Director of Propuesta Cívica, and one of Mexico's foremost legal

Upcoming Webinar | Disconnected Justice: The Non-Implementation of Internet Shutdown Judgments

September 28, 2026 1:30 PM UK / 1:30 PM Nigeria / 7:30 AM Colombia / 8:30 AM New York /

Introducing Breaking Ground: A New Impact Series from Media Defence

Media Defence is launching Breaking Ground, a new Impact Series that explores how our work, and that of our partners,

"When the legal process itself becomes the punishment": Bojana Davitkovska on defending journalists in North Macedonia

Bojana Davitkovska has spent years defending journalists and media outlets in North Macedonia, working alongside Media Lawyer Filip Medarski, whose