Assistance in Germany
As part of its assistance work in Germany, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) supports journalists who have had to leave their country due to repression and persecution.
Our support includes:
- Assistance with the asylum procedure, preparation of support statements
- Help finding a lawyer, preliminary advice on residency and social security law
- Financial support in individual cases (legal fees, psychotherapy, etc.)
- Guidance on helpful resources, platforms and organisations for professional development in Germany
- Advice on protective measures in the event of attacks or threats in Germany (esp. in cases of transnational repression)
To receive support from RSF you should meet the following criteria:
- You are a journalist from a non-EU country (for EU nationals, see European Centre for Press and Media Freedom / ECPMF).
- You are threatened or at risk as a direct result of your journalistic work
- Your situation can be confirmed by two independent sources.
Please note: Our support serves only as emergency, temporary assistance. We regret that we cannot provide long-term financial support, integration support or individual career counselling.
We regret that due to the constantly high number of requests we might need several days to process your initial request.
Journalism in exile
Resuming your journalistic work in exile can take years and there are many obstacles to overcome. In addition to the language barrier, journalists in exile must contend with the loss of their local networks and in many cases of the topics in which they specialised, as well as their specific local expertise. The "All Set" guide published by the New German Media Makers (Neue deutsche Medienmacher*innen, NdM) offers tips and advice for journalists who are new to Germany: https://neuemedienmacher.de/wissen-tools/startklar/ [available in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Persian and Arabic].
One of Reporters Without Borders' top priorities is to enable journalists at risk to continue working in exile whenever possible. RSF therefore consistently advocates for easier access to residency permits and the labor market for exiled journalists, such as those from Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan in the past or currently from Russia, Belarus and Afghanistan.
In the spring of 2022 and in response to the unparalleled civil society solidarity with Ukrainian and Russian journalists, RFS, together with the Schöpflin Foundation and the Rudolf Augstein Foundation, launched the European Fund for Journalism in Exile (JX Fund for short), basing its approach on experiences with previous evacuation missions from Afghanistan and Syria.
The JX Fund helps journalists who have fled war or crisis zones to resume their work quickly and flexibly. It acts as an interface, bundling the numerous offers of help and support from private individuals, companies, foundations and social initiatives and relaying them to where they are most urgently needed. In this way, the JX Fund aims to strengthen independent media in exile beyond the acute crisis phase, and thus support the sustainable development of new editorial structures in exile so that independent content can continue to reach its audience in the countries of origin.
For more information visit https://www.jx-fund.org
For German journalists
If you plan to work as a journalist in Germany, we recommend that you obtain basic labor protection by joining a trade union or professional organisation, take out legal insurance, and coordinate risk assessments and security arrangements with the assigning media companies.
In 2021, together with an alliance of journalist organisations, media unions and counselling centres, RSF launched a Safety Code of Conduct for media companies aimed at strengthening protection for journalists. This Code of Conduct outlines a dozen practical measures, such as employers providing fixed contact persons for media workers as well as contacts for psychological counselling and legal support. Participating media companies commit to implementing measures to protect their permanent and freelance staff. More information about journalist unions can be found here:
RSF is a cooperation partner of the Netzwerk Recherche helpline. The helpline is an independent, anonymous and free telephone counseling service for journalists seeking help with overload, anxiety and other psychosocial problems. The peer advisors are specially trained media professionals who can also provide initial help thanks to their own experience.
Resources for German journalists working outside Germany: [LINK zur Seite “Unterstützung weltweit”/ Supporting Journalists Worldwide]
Photo credit: © picture alliance / SZ Photo / Olaf Schülke
Contact the Assistance Desk
To use encrypted communication from your own Proton-Mail account
Contact for assistance in Russian:
Support worldwide
RSF also provides support to journalists outside of Germany on an individual basis and according to their situation in their home country or in third countries.