Groups: UK response to surveillance revelations threatens human rights November 5, 2013 The International Press Institute (IPI) yesterday joined a coalition of 70 organisations to warn British Prime Minister David Cameron that his “government’s response to the revelations of mass surveillance of digital communications is eroding fundamental human rights in the country”. The groups, hailing from 40 countries, told Cameron in a letter published yesterday in The […] Read more »
Russia’s leading human rights lawyer joins list of prominent speakers Karinna Moskalenko, Russian human rights lawyer and international advisory board member of the UK-based Media Legal Defence Initiative, is the latest addition to an already strong line-up of speakers and panellists slated to take part in the annual IPI World Congress 2013 in Amman, Jordan. Moskalenko has taken numerous cases to the European Court of […] Read more »
SEEMO names winners of 2012 Human Rights Award December 4, 2012 The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), has named Turkish cameraman Cüneyt Ünal and his missing colleague, Jordanian reporter of Palestinian origin Bashar Fahmi Kaddumi, the winners of the 2012 SEEMO Human Rights Award. The award is scheduled to be presented during a ceremony on Dec. […] Read more »
Release Bahraini human rights activists now, say international groups August 17, 2012 IPI joined members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) and other human rights groups in condemning the three year prison term handed down to human rights defender Nabeel Rajab on Thursday, and calling for the release of all activists jailed for exercising their right to free expression. Nabeel heads the Bahrain Centre for […] Read more »
Experts discuss role of free press in promoting human rights, democracy and development July 4, 2012 Media play a vital role in promoting human rights, democracy and development. A free press holds those in power to account. Especially in conflict situations, media bear powerful responsibility for informing the public and raising awareness in a fair and balanced way at the national and international levels. But the media can also be misused […] Read more »
SEEMO invites submission of entries for Human Rights Photo Award March 19, 2012 As part of the BETA Photograph of the Year competition, the Vienna-based South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), calls for the submission of entries for its 2012 SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award. All professional photojournalists working and taking photographs in South East and Central Europe are […] Read more »
SEEMO welcomes police action against attackers of journalists in Montenegro, and European Court of Human Rights decision December 2, 2011 The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), welcomes the prompt police action against three men who physically attacked a TV crew from TV Vijesti. The incident occurred on 18 November 2011 in Niksic, a town 55 kilometers from the Montenegrin capital Podgorica. The TV crew was […] Read more »
Veton Surroi wins 2011 SEEMO Human Rights Award November 21, 2011 Kosovo journalist, publisher, politician and human rights activist Veton Surroi has won the 2011 SEEMO Human Rights Award. The SEEMO board praised Surroi’s non-violent methods and consistent “commitment to human rights” in all of his professional activities. The 2011 SEEMO Human Rights award will be presented to Veton Surroi on 24 November 2011 at 18.30 […] Read more »
European Court of Human Rights postpones hearing on Italian TV station May 31, 2011 Mina Nacheva The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has postponed a hearing on a complaint by an Italian TV broadcaster which argued that the Italian government had breached its rights by not allowing the station to take to the airwaves. The Court announced on 12 May that a public hearing in Centro Europa 7 S.R.L. v. […] Read more »
Iranian human rights lawyer and journalist continues hunger strike December 27, 2010 Alicia Versteegh Nasrin Sotoudeh is a leading human rights lawyer and journalist respected for her defense of the rights of women and children in Iran. She defended political activists and protesters arrested following the disputed presidential elections in June 2009. Sotoudeh was detained on September 4 2010 and charged with “propaganda against the state,” and “acting against […] Read more »
SEEMO/IPI Press Release: SEEMO Human Rights Award 2010 To Christo Komarnitski from Bulgaria December 9, 2010 SEEMO Staff The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press institute (IPI), is pleased to announce that after careful deliberation the SEEMO Jury – composed of SEEMO Board members – has awarded the “SEEMO Human […] Read more »
European court of human rights raps Spain over editor conviction June 2, 2010 Elisabeth Garrett The European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday ruled that Spain’s sentencing of a Spanish editor over an article in his newspaper linking Morocco’s now-deceased King Hassan II to drug-dealers was a violation of Article 10 of the European Convention, which protects the rights of freedom of expression and of the press. The case dates […] Read more »
European court of human rights orders release of imprisoned Azeri journalist April 23, 2010 Nayana Jayarajan The International Press Institute (IPI) welcomes a decision by the European Court of Human Rights ordering the immediate release of Eynulla Fatullayev, an Azeri journalist who was sentenced in 2007 to eight-and-a-half years in prison for defamation and “fomenting terrorism” through his articles. The Court yesterday voted six to one that Azerbaijan had violated Fatullayev’s […] Read more »
Tunisian authorities ban human rights organisation from holding press conference March 24, 2010 Louise Hallman International human rights organisation, Human Rights Watch, was prohibited by government officials from holding a press conference in Tunisia on Wednesday, 24 March. The organisation was due to launch its report “A Larger Prison: Repression of Former Political Prisoners in Tunisia.” In a statement sent to the Tunisia Monitoring Group – a coalition of 20 […] Read more »
European Court of Human Rights orders Turkey to pay compensation to journalists January 28, 2010 Barbara Trionfi, Press Freedom Advisor The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Turkey to pay a total of over 40,000 Euros to 20 Turkish journalists as compensation for having violated their rights. In two separate cases, the Court ruled on 26 January that Turkey had violated freedom of speech laws when it suspended five newspapers and sentenced a magazine […] Read more »
SEEMO Human Rights Award 2009 to Pavol Demes from Slovakia December 8, 2009 The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press institute (IPI), is pleased to announce that after careful deliberation the SEEMO Board has awarded the ”SEEMO Human Rights Award 2009” to Pavol Demes, an internationally […] Read more »
PRESS FREEDOM UPDATE: United States President touches upon human rights concerns during official visit to China November 17, 2009 United States President Barack Obama today said discussions with China about human rights will resume early next year, following international calls for the president to address specific concerns on the issues of press freedom and human rights violations. At a press conference today with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Obama, Hu said both sides had […] Read more »
IPI joins other press freedom and human rights groups in condemning harsh crackdown on press freedom in Morocco October 23, 2009 23 October 2009 – We, the undersigned organisations defending freedom of expression, call on the Moroccan government to stop the current crackdown against press freedom, which has become the most serious since King Mohamed VI was crowned in 1999. Repression of free expression rights has been escalating for the last three months. After publishing a […] Read more »
IPI delegation raises issues of impunity and self-censorship with human rights ombudsman, holds discussions with media outlets in first leg of Russia advocacy mission October 2, 2009 Colin Peters The International Press Institute (IPI), a media freedom organisation with an almost 60-year history of defending liberty of the press, on Wednesday began a five day advocacy mission to Russia, one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists. The mission began with an investigation into the events surrounding the brutal attack on a Khimki-based […] Read more »
Finnish journalist to take case to European Court of Human Rights September 7, 2009 Finnish photojournalist Markus Pentikäinen, convicted in 2007 for ignoring a police order to stop reporting at the scene of a 2006 demonstration in Helsinki, is to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights after a Finnish Supreme Court decision of 1 September gave him “no leave to appeal,” according to weekly current […] Read more »
Russian editor-in-chief fears killers of human rights activist and journalist won’t face justice July 16, 2009 A Russian editor-in-chief has expressed concern that the killers of a prominent human rights activist and journalist brutally slain on 15 July will never face justice. “Unfortunately the Russian authorities, although using hard wording to condemn such crimes, do almost nothing to find their organisers, bring the cases to court and punish the killers,” Galina […] Read more »
IPI deeply concerned over defamation charges filed against Syrian journalist and human rights activist April 2, 2008 The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries, is deeply concerned about the Syrian government’s decision to file defamation charges against Mazen Darwich, prominent Syrian journalist and director of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM). According to information before IPI, […] Read more »
IPI shares concern over lowering of human rights standards for admission of new member states to the Council of Europe June 26, 1997 The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives from newspapers, magazines, broadcasting organisations and news agencies in over 100 countries, expressed its support today for the position taken by Peter Leuprecht, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who has resigned over the lowering of human rights standards for […] Read more »
Spotlight: Filipino journalist Patricia Evangelista named 2026 World Press Freedom Hero July 21, 2026 Patricia Evangelista was a recent university graduate with a degree in communications when she heard that two young women she had gone to school with had been “disappeared” by the state military. “At that time, I didn’t even know that there was a different usage of the word ‘disappeared’…I was not aware my government was […] Read more »
Spotlight: Chilean journalist Mónica González named 2026 World Press Freedom Hero July 17, 2026 Before Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet came to power in 1973 in a violent military coup, Mónica González wanted to be a doctor. After her father died in a railway accident, she had to forgo her studies and find another profession. She landed on journalism. “I felt it was similar to an intensive care unit in […] Read more »
Spotlight: Abzas Media and Meydan TV receive 2026 Free Media Pioneer Award July 15, 2026 Decades before a series of arrests beginning in the fall of 2023 led to the mass arrests and imprisonment of dozens of Azerbaijani journalists, the groundwork was laid for a sweeping crackdown on civil society under Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. For years, the Aliyev regime promoted propaganda campaigns intended to discredit Azerbaijan’s independent news outlets […] Read more »
Advocacy Turkey: IPI and partners urge NATO to reconsider denial of independent media accreditation June 27, 2026 International Press Institute (IPI), together with press freedom, freedom of expression, and human rights organisations, has written to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to raise urgent concerns about the denial of accreditation to independent media in Türkiye seeking to cover the 2026 Ankara Summit. To: Secretary General Mark Rutte Ms. Delphine Mauss , NATO Summit […] Read more »
Advocacy Poland: Passing of Anti-SLAPP Act a victory for media freedom June 23, 2026 The passing of a law by the President of Poland which will establish stronger safeguards against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) is a long-awaited victory for media freedom which will provide important legal protections for public interest journalism, IPI and Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) said today. Our organisations welcome the passing of the […] Read more »
Advocacy Mexico: IPI condemns killing of crime reporter Luis Ángel López Valdez June 18, 2026 The International Press Institute (IPI) condemns the killing of Mexican crime reporter Luis Ángel López Valdez and calls on Mexican and Veracruz authorities to ensure the investigation into his killing is conducted swiftly and transparently, and holds those responsible accountable. We urge the Sheinbaum government to act urgently to protect members of the media amid […] Read more »
Consultancy call: Risk assessment guide and training for climate and environmental journalists in Africa The International Press Institute (IPI) is seeking a consultant to develop a risk assessment guide for reporters covering climate and environmental topics in Africa. The consultant will also develop corresponding training materials and deliver a risk assessment workshop. This initiative is part of IPI’s ongoing programme aimed at protecting and strengthening climate and environmental journalism […] Read more »
IPI and IMS announce 2026 recipients of World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer awards June 16, 2026 Today, the International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) are proud to announce this year’s recipients of the World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer awards, who together demonstrate remarkable courage, ingenuity, and resilience amid an increasingly challenging environment for press freedom and independent journalism around the world. The 2026 recipients of […] Read more »
(Applications closed) Europe Research and Network Coordinator *Please note that we are no longer accepting new applications for this position. The International Press Institute (IPI) is seeking a Europe Research and Network Coordinator to support and expand our work to protect media freedom in Europe, with a focus on network and capacity building and combating media capture. Specifically, this position will coordinate […] Read more »
Consultancy call: Researcher/report writer on ATI policy and practice in Africa The International Press Institute (IPI) is seeking a consultant to research and draft a report on trends and challenges of access to information for climate and environmental reporting in Africa. This research will be undertaken as part of IPI’s Climate and Environmental Journalism Africa (CEJA) programme to strengthen climate and environmental journalism in Africa. This […] Read more »
