Providing shelter for journalists at risk: Application open for ECPMF’s Journalists-in-Residence Programme

ECPMF’s Journalists-in-Residence Programme provides a refuge for a limited period of time, a safe place to continue working, to rest and recover and – if individual circumstances permit – a platform to highlight threats to media freedom in the journalist’s home country.

The application deadline is 5th January 2018. 

(LEIPZIG) The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) is now accepting applications for its Journalists-in-Residence Programme (JiR). There are two timeslots: February to July 2018 OR August 2018 to January 2019.

Journalists from the EU28 as well as countries with EU candidate status (i.e., Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey) are invited to apply. Participants in the programme will be provided with a rent-free, furnished apartment in Leipzig, Germany, a monthly stipend of 1,000 euros, and free health insurance. The ECPMF also covers the costs of travel to and from Leipzig as well as visa fees (if applicable). The selected journalists are offered access to the Centre’s wide-ranging network of contacts and training sessions on the skills that are most relevant to the selected journalist, such as encryption and data security.

The ECPMF considers its Journalists-in-Residence Programme to be a concrete and lasting contribution to the campaign for media freedom and pluralism in Europe. “Journalists staying with us have often been fighting for years to be able to work independently and without restrictions. They are long-experienced colleagues who often face massive threats in their home countries”, says Christian Schult, JiR programme co-ordinator at the ECPMF.

“The Journalists-in-Residence Programme was designed to allow journalists to work outside the hostile environment for some time, to enlarge their personal networks, and to highlight shortcomings in press freedom in their home countries – if individual circumstances permit this.”, Schult continues.

Application procedure

Media workers from EU28 and EU candidate countries who have a professional record in journalism of at least five years are eligible to apply. Proof must be provided that the applicant is at risk as a direct result of his/her journalistic work. In addition, a sufficient knowledge of either English, French or German language (minimum level B2) is required.

The Centre accepts applications sent to journalistsinresidence@ecpmf.eu until 12:00 noon CET on Friday 5 January 2018.

In-depth information on the programme, application requirements and the application form are available at
https://ecpmf.eu/get-help/journalists-in-residence

For more information, please contact Christian Schult at +49 341 200 403 13 or schult@ecpmf.eu
All applications will be treated as strictly confidential. A key for encrypted communication can be found on the website mentioned above.


The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) unites journalists associations, publishing houses, academic institutions, trade unions and media rights experts to achieve the application of the European Charter on Freedom of the Press throughout Europe. Founded in 2015, it is about to be registered as European Cooperative Society and headquartered in Leipzig with members/partners/supporters in 16 countries. The ECPMF provides news, analyses and tools on media freedom issues, coordinates its member organisations’ activities and helps individual journalists under threat, for example through a residence programme and petitions.

The ECPMF is supported by: European Commission, Media foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig, Free State of Saxony, City of Leipzig