News from Journalists and Lawyers for Freedom of Expression on what we were up to in March.
Our Residency Program is Live
We are pleased to share that JAM has officially launched its human rights defenders residency programme in partnership with protectdefenders.eu. The programme offers three-month residencies in Berlin for journalists and human rights defenders at risk. Our first participant is already underway. Due to the sensitive nature of the work, we are keeping details of individual placements confidential.
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Visa Barriers for Russian Journalists: We Presented Our Findings
This month, JAM met with German consular officials to discuss the growing barriers that Russian journalists in exile face in accessing legal pathways to safety. We shared a report compiled through direct interviews with affected journalists, documenting the practical obstacles they encounter. We will continue to advocate for clear and accessible visa routes for journalists at risk.
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Solidarity with Basma Mostafa
JAM has joined calls for urgent protection measures for Egyptian journalist and human rights defender Basma Mostafa, who continues to face serious threats — including coordinated harassment, publication of her home address, and threats of violence — linked to transnational repression. The case has been documented by UN Special Procedures and included in the UN Secretary-General’s reprisals report. We support the TNR Coalition’s call for Germany to implement concrete safeguards, including entry restrictions for known perpetrators and accessible protection for individuals at risk. jam-ev.com/2026/03/05/j…
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A glimpse into Berlin Media Scene
In late February, JAM joined the MIZ Innovation Pitch – Spring Spark at MIZ Babelsberg, where we got a look at some interesting journalism tools in development — including the Digital Evidence Preservation Toolkit, which helps journalists archive digital evidence securely, and howtheyvote.eu, which makes European Parliament voting data more accessible for reporters. miz-babelsberg.de/aktue…
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FROM THE COALITION
JAM is a founding member of the Coalition Against Transnational Repression in Germany.
March was a busy month for the Coalition’s advocacy work. On 3 March, Coalition members met with both Commissioner Lars Castellucci and MP Norbert Altenkamp (CDU), Deputy Chair of the Bundestag Human Rights Committee, pressing for stronger institutional responses to transnational repression. Later in the month, Coalition representatives participated in the Human Rights Forum in Cadenabbia, Italy, contributing to international discussions on protecting exiled journalists and human rights defenders. stop-transnational-repr…
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JAM e.V. — Journalists and Lawyers for Freedom of Expression | Berlin jam-ev.com | twitter.com/JAMev_