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Strengthening Press Freedom: The Legal Clinic’s Vital Role in Defending Journalism
The clinic offers essential legal assistance to journalists, addressing challenges such as pre-publication legal reviews, Freedom of Information cases, fact-checking workshops, and producing a guide on source protection for investigative reporting.
The misuse of the judicial system to target journalists is a growing trend globally. According to UNESCO’s , lawsuits are increasingly weaponized to silence, intimidate and harass journalists. The Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) reported a total of 1,049 cases of vexatious lawsuits in Europe from 2010 –2023, highlighting the urgent need for robust legal protections.
While the European Parliament introduced the Anti-SLAPP Directive, also known as “Daphne’s Law ”, was introduced, journalists continue to face legal threats that jeopardize press freedom:
The uncertainty that comes with legal threats can be incredibly stressful on a journalist's well-being. Through the support of GMDF, the Foundation has been able to provide a layer of protection to journalists, enabling them to do their work without worrying about legal consequences.
In this environment, the Foundation advocate for better legal protections for journalists and prioritizes gender inclusivity, ensuring female journalists have equal access to legal support tailored to their unique circumstances.
TDCGF was created after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, a Maltese investigative journalist who faced harassment and threats due to her work. The Foundation is committed to seeking justice for her death and to continuing her fight for press freedom.
Since its inception, it has conducted 37 pre-publication legal reviews to help mitigate risks, assisted in seven Freedom of Information cases, facilitated fact-checking workshops for 20 journalists and two editors. It has also published a guide on source protection to support investigative reporting.
One of GMDF’s key priorities is ensuring journalists' rapid access to legal assistance while addressing the gender-specific threats against them. This initiative complements UNESCO’s broader efforts, including the Judges’ Initiative, which has trained over 36,000 participants from 160 countries on freedom of expression and international standards over the past decade.
