Global Freedom of Expression

Karin Deutsch Karlekar

Dr. Karin Deutsch Karlekar is currently Director of Free Expression programs at PEN American Center. She served from 2001-15 as the project director for Freedom House’s Freedom of the Press project, an annual report that tracks trends in global media freedom. She coordinated the research, ratings, and editorial processes for the index, as well as serving as a spokesperson on media issues, representing the organization at meetings and conferences and appearing regularly in the media as an expert on topics including press freedom, internet and digital media freedom, and freedom of expression. She has developed index methodologies and conducted training sessions for Freedom House on internet freedom, freedom of expression, and monitoring dangerous speech; authored a number of special reports and academic papers; and conducted research, assessment, and advocacy missions to Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Prior to joining Freedom House, Dr. Karlekar was an editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit and also served as a consultant to Human Rights Watch. She holds a Ph.D. in Indian History from Cambridge University, England.