East Africa Digital Rights & Online Freedom of Expression Litigation Workshop
3 – 6 April 2018, Nairobi, Kenya
The Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) is calling for applications
from lawyers based in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda to
participate in a forthcoming litigation workshop on the right to online
freedom of expression, digital rights and the Internet. Successful
applicants will attend the litigation workshop and become active members
of a digital rights legal network through which there will be
opportunity for engagement regionally and internationally.
All applicants are required to submit for discussion a current or
potential case involving these matters. If applicants do not have a
case, they may submit a relevant law, practice or policy relating to
online freedom of expression that they would like to see challenged in
court.
Litigation workshop objectives
MLDI provides legal support to journalists, bloggers and independent
media. In recent years, MLDI has supported a significant number of cases
involving online media. These have included challenging social media
blocking and Internet shutdowns, contesting cyber crimes legislation and
intermediary liability, as well as calling for greater protections for
online privacy and source protection.
Specifically, the objectives of the litigation workshop are:
- To equip participants with skills and knowledge to litigate
using national and international laws as well as regional and
international mechanisms relevant to freedom of expression online;
- To build a digital rights network and help facilitate its engagement
with international legal mechanisms and global civil society
initiatives; and
- To assist and develop working relationships amongst lawyers undertaking such cases.
Criteria for eligibility
Participants will be selected on the following criteria:
- The workshop is open to lawyers from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda;
- Applicants can either be working in private practice or be working
for or be affiliated with NGOs promoting the right to freedom of
expression in East Africa through litigation. Exceptionally strong
applications from lawyers who have not yet undertaken freedom of
expression work, but have experience litigating other human rights cases
and have a strong interest in undertaking freedom of expression work
will be considered as well. A maximum of 12 participants will be
selected;
- The lawyers must have a demonstrated interest in and/or knowledge of
the right to online freedom of expression, digital rights, internet
freedom and/or related issues;
- The lawyers must have a demonstrated interest in and/or knowledge of international and regional human rights law;
- With their application, applicants are requested to submit a case
study of a case that they are litigating or intend to litigate and that
could be discussed during the litigation workshop. As set out above, it
will suffice for participants who do not have a case that is pending to
have identified a relevant law, practice or policy relating to online
freedom of expression that they would like to challenge in court.
However, such participants must demonstrate their ability and
willingness to pursue the case after the workshop;
- The cases submitted must involve a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of expression online;
- The following non-exhaustive list of themes are a guide for the type of cases that could be submitted with the application:
- Cybercrime laws;
- Intermediary liability;
- Internet shutdowns;
- Restriction of online media;
- Online privacy;
- National security; and
- Anonymity online.
Please note that the working language for the workshop will be English.
How to apply
Please complete the attached
application form and submit it to Michael Moss at
michael.moss@mediadefence
Deadline: Wednesday 21 February 2018.
Shortlisted applicants will be notified soon after the closing date
and should be available for a Skype or telephone interview on 26, 27 or
28 February 2018.
Print and online Journalists from the Middle East, Mediterranean and Gulf regions can compete for a EUR10,000 (US$12,238) prize.
