Logistical support
Last updated
Last updated
Please note that as of June 23, 2023, ICORN has not been accepting new applications. For updates, please check the ICORN website.
The International Cities of Refuge Network, ICORN, is an independent organisation of cities and regions offering shelter to writers and artists at risk, advancing freedom of expression, defending democratic values and promoting international solidarity.
More than 70 cities have joined ICORN to promote freedom of expression and human rights, and host writers, artists, and journalists at risk.
You can find the list of cities providing refuge here.
The ICORN Secretariat receives, assesses, and approves applications from writers, artists, and journalists. When an applicant has been approved for an ICORN residency, ICORN tries to match the writer/artist/journalist with an ICORN City of Refuge as suitably as possible. This depends on the urgency of the case, the capacity of the city, and other factors such as cultural profile.
ICORN then presents a list of potential residents to the city which makes the final decision and issues an invitation.
The American Bar Association - Center for Human Rights provides legal technical expert assistance to HRDs activists/lawyers. Please see contact: Service@americanbar.org for more info.
The Assistance Desk of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) provides financial and administrative assistance to professional journalists and citizen-journalists who have been the victims of reprisals because of their reporting. RSF helps:
the victims of violence connected with their reporting to obtain appropriate medical care
wrongfully prosecuted journalists to pay their legal fees
threatened journalists to find a safe refuge journalists to resolve their most urgent needs if they decide to flee abroad because of threats and persecution
families of journalists to cope with the consequences of the reprisals to which their loved-ones have been exposed.
When the results of its research allows, RSF may also support applications for international protection or asylum submitted by professional journalists and citizen-journalists who have fled their country.
RSF is also in a position to support the activities of media outlets and local NGOs that defend the media or freedom of information. This assistance is intended to help media outlets and NGOs to maintain or restore operational capacity in the event of problems (such as attacks, ransacking and vandalism). It may also contribute to capacity-building and development:
by facilitating training for their employees or members
by supporting campaigns and lobbying for freedom of information and for the protection of information providers.
The processing of applications for support and capacity-building requires more examination and preparation, and is therefore not as fast as the processing of applications by media outlets and NGOs that have been the victims of attacks or vandalism.
Leading independent media in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, who form part of the International Press Institute’s (IPI) Central Europe Independent Media Network, have offered to support displaced journalists who may end up in their countries by hosting them in their newsrooms.
IPI's partners have already offered support in different ways, for example by promoting fundraising efforts to support Ukrainian media, and in the case of Gazeta Wyborcza by hosting refugees in their offices.
"Newsrooms have also offered to provide working space, use of technology and editorial resources to displaced journalists. In some cases, the newsrooms would be able to host multiple journalists, allowing small teams to stay together. The situation remains uncertain and it is not clear how many journalists will be forced to flee and where they will move to, but IPI is coordinating the offers of support to ensure it can be given when needed."
Journalists from Ukraine or Russia who wish to be put in contact with one of the partner newsrooms can email info@ipi.media. They are also happy to hear from other newsrooms who would be happy to host displaced journalists
