Vigorous reporting and a free, open press play a vital role in preserving the rule of law by holding the powerful to account and protecting the public’s right to know. This has never been more true than today, with authoritarianism on the rise worldwide, growing instances of media harassment and capture, and a global pandemic triggering—or simply giving cover to—increasing press restrictions and crackdowns. 

This online event will featured journalists and experts from around the world with a first-hand view into these troubling dynamics. The webinar also highlighted the winner of the 2020 WJP Anthony Lewis Journalism Prize, whose corruption investigation sparked reform in Slovakia. The panelists discussed the importance of media freedom, the critical role investigative journalists play in uncovering corruption and promoting open societies, and how to promote an independent press when freedom of expression is under threat.

Watch the event recording below. Learn more about the event here.

 

 

Truth-tellers in Crisis: Protecting Independent Journalism

Event Recorded June 11, 2020

Speakers: 

 

  • John Nery, Columnist and former editor, Philippine Daily Inquirer (moderator)
  • Carroll Bogert, President, The Marshall Project
  • Nishant Lalwani, Managing Director, Luminate
  • Pavla Holcová, Central Europe Editor, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and founder of investigace.cz

 

 

Resources for Journalists Under Threat:

Article19:

Committee to Protect Journalists:

Media Legal Defence Initiative:

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press:

Reporters Without Borders:

Freedom of the Press Foundation:

International Federation of Journalists:

UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression:

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In Memoriam 

The World Justice Project lost two leading champions for our rule of law cause with the passing last week of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and William H. Gates, Sr., both Honorary Chairs of the Project. We were honored by their longstanding involvement in our work and commit ourselves to making the WJP a worthy part of their legacy. We share here our memories and tributes to their work. 

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This policy brief is part of a multidisciplinary initiative from the World Justice Project to expand knowledge of the relationship between public health and the rule of law, and to identify measures to tackle the twin crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rule of law where they intersect. 

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Belarus: Rule of Law Dimensions of 2020 Presidential Elections

For the past twenty-six years of its post-Soviet history, Belarus, controlled by Alexander Lukashenko, has seen many affronts to justice and the rule of law – from politically motivated murders to routine falsifications of voting protocols and figures. The Belarusian political crisis capturing the world's attention today is part of a larger story in which key dimensions of the rule of law may help us understand the drivers of change.

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