(LEIPZIG) The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) offers practical solidarity to journalists resident in Turkey and Eurasia. The Centre is extending its Journalists-in-Residence programme to include up to three more media professionals and is now accepting applications. (Deadline: 31 December 2019)
This invitation is for media professionals holding a valid passport and who are currently based in Turkey, and in the European Part of Eurasia*. Timeslots are available for stays of up to six months, during the period from February to September 2020.
Participants are provided with a rent-free, furnished apartment in Leipzig, Germany, a monthly stipend of 1,000 euros, and free health insurance. ECPMF also covers travel costs to and from Leipzig as well as visa fees. The selected journalists are offered access to the Centre’s wide-ranging network of contacts as well as optional training sessions in useful skills such as secure digital communication and data safety.
ECPMF considers its Journalists-in-Residence Programme to be a concrete and lasting contribution to the campaign for media freedom and pluralism across Europe. The Journalists-in-Residence Programme is designed to allow journalists to work outside their hostile environment for some time, to extend their personal networks, and to highlight press freedom problems in their home countries – if individual circumstances permit this.
*COE member states as parts of Eurasia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation
How to apply
To be eligible to apply, journalists must hold a valid passport, live in the specified countries and have been working as a professional journalist for at least five years. They must provide proof of any threats or risk to their person that arise as a direct result of their journalistic work. In addition, they must have a sufficient knowledge of either the English or German language (minimum level A2).
The Centre accepts applications sent to journalistsinresidence@ecpmf.eu until 23:59 CEST on Thursday 31 December 2019.
In-depth information on the programme, application requirements and the application form are available here.
For more information, please contact the JiR Programme Manager Stephanie Koch at +49 341 200 403 16 or journalistsinresidence@ecpmf.eu
All applications will be treated as strictly confidential. A key for encrypted communication can be found on the website mentioned above.
Legal support for journalists facing legal problems as a result of their work
Journalists and media professionals in Turkey, Eurasia (COE member states*) and Eastern Europe who face legal actions such as defamation lawsuits, detention and other legal actions may apply to ECPMF for legal support. The legal programme provides financial support for journalists to pay their lawyers in their home countries. In addition, journalists could also apply for legal expertise which will be offered by our in-house lawyer.
For more information, please contact ECPMF’s Legal Advisor Flutura Kusari at kusari@ecpmf.eu
Click here for more info on legal support.
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