United States Launches Program to Protect Journalists from Legal Intimidation

USAID Launches Reporters Shield Program to Safeguard Journalists Globally

On Tuesday, the United States initiated a program to safeguard journalists globally from legal intimidation tactics to stifle dissenting opinions. Samantha Power, the head of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), referred to this increasing trend as "lawfare" and unveiled the Reporters Shield program during a United Nations event commemorating World Press Freedom Day.
 

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According to Power, many independent media organizations cannot afford the cost of legal battles, causing them to either go out of business or resort to self-censorship to avoid attracting the attention of potential litigants. She explained that corrupt leaders exploit this vulnerability by increasingly using lawfare to silence critical voices.

USAID Collaborates with OCCRP and Vance Center for International Justice to Provide Legal Protection

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To address this issue, USAID has announced plans to collaborate with Congress and provide up to $9 million for the Reporters Shield program, jointly administered by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice.
Power emphasized that journalists and media organizations require robust protection and training on avoiding lawsuits and access to resources to hire lawyers and cover legal fees to withstand lawfare.
 
USAID has indicated that the Reporters Shield program will operate as a membership program. Participating organizations must pay an annual fee based on several factors, such as the outlet's location and the number of stories produced annually.