Other Resources
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute works with global legal community to promote human rights and the independence of the legal profession. The Institute provides in-depth information on its website regarding its activities around the world, including projects to promote the freedom of expression. The site’s “Media and Publications” page provides free access to the Institute’s publications, which can be searched by category, region, and year.
International Forum for Responsible Media (Inforrm)
The International Forum for Responsible Media was setup to debate issues of media responsibility. Its site is a useful resource of finding case laws on various areas of the freedom of expression, including cases involving media, privacy, and defamation. The site’s home page also offers links to free speech related blogs and websites on journalism and media.
Law Library of the United States Congress
The Law Library of the U.S. Congress provides a comprehensive foreign and international law guide, which includes reference sources, compilations, citation guides, periodicals, dictionaries, web resources, access-free websites, subject-specific websites, and country overviews. Under “Guide to Law Online,” the Library also provides access to sources of international law and country-specific information.
Right2Info.org provides materials concerning the right of public to information. The site provides access to summaries of a selection of judgments on the right to information decided by national, regional courts, and the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Under “Laws,” the site provides relevant constitutional provisions, laws, and regulations of more than 100 countries. The site also includes a comprehensive list of international and regional human rights treaties and declarations on the right to freedom of information.
The United Nation Refugee Agency’s RefWorld offers reliable and up-to-date information related to refugees and human rights. RefWorld offers a collection of country of origin information, core international and regional treaties, as well as refugee policy documents and guidelines. Its “Case Law” includes national and international jurisprudential decisions that can be searched by judicial body, country, and topic.
Open Society Justice Initiative
The Open Society Justice Initiative seeks to redress human rights violations and to promote effective enforcement of the rule law through litigation, advocacy, research, and technical assistance. The program’s activities include the promotion of the right to information and press freedom. Under “Issues,” the program provides latest reports and commentaries related to freedoms of information and media.
Open Society Foundation’s Voices blog hosts “Case Watch,” analyses of significant court decisions and international case law written by lawyers from the Open Society Justice Initiative.
International Press Institute – Media Laws Database
The International Press Institute’s (IPI) work on legal reform is being hosted by the Media Laws Database. IPI is a global network of publishers, editors, and leading journalists who support press freedom. They have assembled an international database of laws on defamation, official secrets, anti-terrorism, and cybercrime.