Media Legal Defense Initiative helps journalists defend their rights

War reporting is not the only dangerous job for a journalist. Increasingly, in many countries powerful interests are turning to legal means to oppress those who expose embarrassing truths about them - notably through the use of swingeing defamation laws. Now a new London-based organisation has been launched to help such journalists.

The Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) helps to pay their legal costs or find lawyers willing to give them free support, trains lawyers in media law, arranges observation of trials and takes cases to international bodies.

Geoffrey Robertson QC, one of MLDI's patrons, says: "No other organisation does what MLDI does. The use of bad laws to silence the media is prevalent in vast swathes of the world. The attack on media freedom is pervasive and global. I welcome the Media Legal Defence Initiative which will help the media to fight these attacks and fills an important gap."

The support MLDI provides is determined by the specific circumstances of each case or project and may include:

• Paying legal fees
• Helping to access free legal advice
• Taking on cases in international tribunals and supervisory bodies
• Supporting the independent observation of court proceedings
• Supporting strategic litigation
• Providing opportunities for training in media law and litigation
• Supporting the exchange of information and experience among media lawyers

For more information go to http://www.mediadefence.org or e-mail info@mediadefence.org.