Expanding the space for Freedom of Expression by protecting and legally empowering traditional and citizen journalists, and bloggers The specific issues to be addressed by the project are:
- The national legislative limits to freedoms of opinion, expression and press and the incompatibility of national and international standards
- The criminalization of misuse of the freedom of expression
- The impunity of those who threaten and carry out attacks against human rights defenders (HRDs) and journalists

The window of opportunity presented by the political transitions In Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt and related reform processes offers room for change. But free access to information and freedom of expression are deemed crucial: it is impossible for the population to fully participate in the political transition process or to sustainably address the basic economic and social issues that prompted the revolutions if these rights are not guaranteed. As of today, those rights and freedoms are regularly at stake and often violated. Some positive signs demonstrate that civil society actors, media stakeholders and lawyers are ready to taking up the challenge and are interested by ASF’s approach based on fostering an open, constructive and technical dialogue based on the use of international standards as a reference tool and using the law as a motor for change. The reference to international human rights standards, which are still unfamiliar or poorly understood even by legal practitioners, has the potential to advance the jurisprudence but also to create an objective and dispassionate framework for discussion, at national, regional, and international level.

Activities of the project:

One baseline study in the three targeted countries, three training sessions for traditional/citizen journalists and bloggers, three training sessions and four on-site coaching sessions for lawyers, legal aid and assistance for traditional/citizen journalists and bloggers (20 cases), strategic litigation cases (2), setting up a regional platform for FOE stakeholders, workshops and publications.; The project, implemented primarily in Morocco, will involve a range of civil society actors, lawyers and legal practitioners, and key institutional and political stakeholders for freedom of expression (FOE) in Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia.; The project’s global objective is to contribute to expand the space for FOE and media for traditional journalists, bloggers, and citizen journalists. The specific objective is to Protect traditional/citizen journalists and bloggers and support collective advocacy efforts promoting the use of international standards for FOE and FOP.

Specific Objective:

The specific objective is a direct response to the need for:
- Reinforcing legal protection: victims of violation or abuses have access to a legal and judicial response consistent with international standards;
- Strengthen capacities to contribute effectively to establishment of FOE/FOP frameworks consistent with international standards.

Expected impact:

The results to be achieved are: 1) traditional/citizen journalists and bloggers master their legal environment and international standards; 2) A regional network of lawyer is specialized in the legal protection of FOE/FOP actors; 3) Legally and professionally enabling environments consistent with international standards for FOE and FOP are promoted at both national and regional level.
Built around the positive role that lawyers can play in strengthening the rule of law and FOE protection, this project is expected to impact on two different levels: 1) lawyers will influence the work of FOE stakeholders and stakeholders in the justice system and political institutions; 2) the project will facilitate the application of human rights standards for FOE, especially as linked to gender-based discrimination.
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