Center for freedom of expression protection
The Center has been founded in July 2015 as a result of the Croatian Journalists’ Association efforts to protect freedom of expression and equally take off burden of journalists’ possible quilt in certain legally delicate situations regarding their work. The Center provides services to journalists on different levels: pro bono representation, defense in court procedure, counseling, education of journalists and information about journalists’ rights.
These services are open to all CJA members on personal request as well as to non-member journalists if CJA’s body authorizes the claim.
Services / some
1. Legal protection
- representation/defense of journalist in all cases against him/her due to published article
- legal counseling and representation of journalist if the publisher initiates proceedings related to journalist’s opinion, puts embargo to certain topics, denies journalist’s right to refuse to write about certain topics and in the ways opposite to professional rules, etc.
- legal protection and representation of journalist who is due to his/her work discriminated, exposed to threats, blackmailing, physical attacks
- legal counseling regarding analyses and initiatives for changing media regulations, designing media statute and its effective implementation, for effective measures against media owner/publishers who want to influence media content contrary to regulations, during collecting information, including libel reading.
2. Education
- organization of round table discussions and workshops about current topics regarding freedom of expression generally and media freedom especially with local and international legal experts, prominent journalists and NGO activists
- publication of Handbook on Media Law
- publication of analyses and guidance regarding certain topics
- education of student of journalism and law schools including them into Center projects
- Law Clinic: co-operation with Freedom of Expression Law Clinic (partners: MLDI, Garden Court Chambers, Program in Comparative media Law and Policy of the University of Oxford)
3. Informing journalists via CJA web page
- about local and international media rules, Croatian courts practices, European Court for Human Rights practices (Strasbourg)
- about Court of Justice practices (Luxembourg)
- about relevant court practices in different countries
4. Associates
Academics: Davor Derenčinović, PH. D., Zagreb University Law School
Sanja Barić, Ph.D., Rijeka University Law School
Hrvoje Lisičar, Ph.D., Zagreb University Law School
Iva Kuštrak Managić, Zagreb University Law School
Marko Jurić, Ph.D., Zagreb University Law School
Matija Miloš, Rijeka University Law School