A safe haven for media workers under threat: the ECPMF Journalists-in-Residence-Programme

Although media freedom is anchored in European countries' constitutions, media workers are encountering many threats and risks while doing their job. The Journalists-in-Residence (JiR) Programme of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECOMF) offers a special opportunity to threatened media freedom activists and journalists: With ECPMF’s support, they can temporarily leave the unsafe environment of oppression and anxiety to recover and find new strength.

For up to 12 months, a media worker at risk can take a time-out from the direct threat he or she is facing in the home country. The ECPMF provides a safe home, a scholarship and many other forms of support as well as the possibility to work at the centre in Leipzig. Until 8 November 2016, media workers from EU- and pre-accession countries can apply for the programme.

The Journalists-in-Residence Programme serves media freedom in three ways: By giving shelter to threatened journalists; by spreading the word about media freedom violations to reach international attention and sensitise the broader public; and by putting stress, via higher media attention, on the aggressors who threaten the JiR.

During participation in the programme, journalists are encouraged to work with the ECPMF as media freedom ambassadors and make use of the broad network consisting of media houses, legal experts, academics and media freedom activists. However, if required, it is also possible to live and work anonymously.

The programme aims to give the participant a break to regain mental and physical strength to continue her/his important journalistic work after the return back home. Therefore, the programme also includes, for example, trainings on encryption and digital safety to increase the participant’s future security.

Deadline: 8 November 2016

For further information on the application process, please visit: https://ecpmf.eu/get-help/journalists-in-residence

All information is treated confidentially. For PGP-encrypted communication, write to journalistsinresidence@ecpmf.eu The PGP-key can be found on the website mentioned above.