Legal Advice
GUIDELINES FOR OPENING MEDIA ENTITIES ABROAD: LEGAL NAVIGATOR
Media organizations are sometimes forced to set up legal entities in other countries because, for example, restrictive legislation in their home countries makes it difficult for them to operate easily. It can be a challenge to find your way around other countries’ legislation so reliable, up-to-date information is needed that considers the specific requirements of the media. Our legal navigator provides overviews of this legislation prepared by professional lawyers from selected countries, in understandable language and a comparable format.
- Implementation: JX Fund
- Runtime: established July 2024
LEGAL MANUALS FOR EXILED MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS FROM BELARUS AND RUSSIA: SHPARGALKA
The online platform Shpargalka.info, which means cheat sheet in Russian, was started in 2022 and provides answers to 19 of the most frequently asked legal questions related to relocation and living in exile in different countries, such as how to obtain documents required for entry, open bank accounts, acquire work permits, and register media organizations. The answers aim to help Russian and Belarusian journalists, and the selection of 17 countries reflects their escape routes in 2022. By offering this comprehensive overview, Shpargalka enabled journalists to make informed decisions about their relocation and first professional setup. The website provides the option of directly comparing answers to specific questions for two selected countries.
- Implementation: Mass Media Defense Center, JX Fund
- Runtime: established April 2022, latest updates September 2023
Supported by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM).