Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ) celebrates its 26th anniversary as a civil society organization concerned with human rights and protecting the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Jordan and the Arab world.
CDFJ said, in a statement issued on this occasion, that the Center seeks to promote freedom of expression and the media, in Jordan and the Arab world, by protecting the rights of journalists, developing their professional expertise, and ensuring their right to access information. It also seeks to develop policies, legislation and practices that embrace freedoms, preserve freedom of expression, defend the freedom and independence of civil work, and consolidate a human rights-based approach.
CDFJ stated that during the past 26 years of its continuous work in defending freedom of expression and the media, the Center has worked in more than 15 countries, noting that it has hosted more than 12,500 male and female trainees in workshops and trainings.
CDFJ explained that over the years of its work, it has issued about 72 publications, ranging from reports on the state of the media in Jordan and the Arab world to specialized studies on human rights and the media, in addition to training and guidance manuals.
CDFJ also explained that its mission to defend journalists did not stop at publications and reports. It established the “MELAD” unit for legal aid for journalists, pointing out that the legal unit and its lawyers have pleaded in more than 850 legal cases against journalists in Jordan, in addition to contributing to establishing a legal aid unit in Egypt and Morocco in 2012.
Furthermore, the Center has been keen on preparing shadow reports and statements from civil society organizations to international human rights mechanisms, whether treaty-based or non-treaty-based. The Center also underlined that it holds consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
Lastly, CDFJ stressed its continued efforts to protect journalists, both males and females, and to defend the right to freedom of expression and the media, emphasizing that preserving and consolidating human rights and public freedoms is a national interest that will enhance the status of Jordan and the Arab countries.