Journalism and the law: standing together against rising intimidation

Caoilfhionn Gallagher

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC is an international human rights lawyer and expert in journalists’ safety and media freedom, practising as a barrister from Doughty Street Chambers, London. Over the past 20 years she has acted in many landmark human rights cases in the UK and internationally, before the European Court of Human Rights, international courts and UN bodies. She has acted for, and secured the freedom of, many arbitrarily detained journalists, cartoonists, peaceful protestors and human rights defenders around the world, including in Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Caoilfhionn has particular expertise in accountability for crimes against journalists. Her current cases in this field include leading the international legal teams for media owner Jimmy Lai, imprisoned in Hong Kong; for over 150 BBC News Persian journalists, targeted extraterritorially by Iran; for the bereaved family of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, assassinated in Malta in 2017; and leading (join...

Charlie Holt

Charlie Holt leads the European work of Global Climate Legal Defence (CliDef), an organisation set up to support climate activists facing SLAPPs and other legal threats. He previously advised on legal strategy for Greenpeace International, where he led the organisation’s SLAPP resilience strategy, including its response to two aggressive large-scale SLAPPs targeting Greenpeace entities in the USA. Having helped to set up the US anti-SLAPP coalition Protect the Protest in 2018, Charlie facilitated the formation of the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE) and later sat on the European Commission’s Expert Group on SLAPPs. He co-chairs the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition and is leading the rollout of a new SLAPP Resilience Fund to support those targeted by SLAPPs.

David McCraw

David McCraw serves as the lead newsroom lawyer for The New York Times. He has been at The Times for more than two decades and currently holds the position of Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. He also oversees international security for Times journalists working in high-risk areas and has served as the crisis response manager when journalists have been kidnapped or detained abroad. In 2023, McCraw and his newsroom legal team were honored with the Tony Mauro Media Lawyer Award from The American Lawyer Magazine for their advocacy on behalf of press freedom. Last year, he received the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists. He is also a co-founder of the Journalism Refugees Education Fund, a nonprofit that helps exiled media workers and their families pursue higher education in the U.S. and Canada. McCraw is the author of the book Truth in Our Times: Inside the Fight for Press Freedom in the Age of Alternative Facts, a first-person account of the legal battles that helped shape The Times’s coverage of Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, national security, and the rise of political partisanship in America. McCraw serves as a visiting faculty member at Harvard Law School. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Cornell University, and Albany Law School.

Nevsin Mengu

Nevşin Mengü, an eminent Turkish journalist, has an illustrious career characterized by her deep academic roots, international experience, and dynamic presence in the media landscape. Mengü's journey in the world of journalism began after completing her undergraduate studies in Political Science at Bilkent University, followed by a master's degree in Social Studies on Turkey at Galatasaray University. These academic pursuits laid a solid foundation for her insightful understanding of political and social dynamics. Her professional path in journalism commenced at Kanal Türk, followed by roles at Haber Türk and the Hürriyet newspaper, where she honed her skills in various aspects of media reporting. A significant chapter in her career was her time in Tehran, Iran, serving as the bureau chief for TRT Türk. This experience not only expanded her journalistic horizons but also provided her with a profound understanding of regional politics. Mengü gained widespread recognition during her time at CNN Türk, where she adeptly prepared and presented the daily main news. However, she has since transitioned from traditional media outlets to a more modern platform. She now runs a successful YouTube channel where she conducts daily streams covering world affairs and politics. This channel has amassed an impressive audience, with over 6 billion views, reflecting her ability to engage with viewers in the digital age and her continued relevance in the fast-evolving media landscape. In 2024, she was honored as an Edward R. Murrow Fellow for Journalism, recognizing her commitment to fearless reporting and truth-seeking journalism. In addition to her journalistic endeavors, Mengü is also an accomplished author. Her books delve into various aspects of social and political issues, mirroring the depth and insight she brings to her journalism. These publications further establish her as a thought leader and a critical voice in the discourse on contemporary issues.

Rebecca Vincent

Rebecca Vincent is Director, Insights and Innovation at the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Rebecca is a media freedom expert, human rights campaigner and former diplomat with two decades of international experience. As the former Director of Campaigns for Reporters Without Borders and in her prior working campaigning on human rights issues in Azerbaijan, she has led many high profile global campaigns and NGO coalitions. She has spoken at fora from the United Nations to the UK parliament and frequently writes and comments in the media.

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