Press Freedom Centers

In contexts of major crises affecting press freedom, and in order to provide journalists and media outlets with the equipment, assistance, and resources necessary to pursue their mission of informing the public as safely as possible, RSF has opened several Press Freedom Centres.

RSF’s Press Freedom Centres provide support and emergency assistance to both local and international journalists and media. Depending on the context and the needs identified, psychological, legal, and financial support may be offered, as well as protective or professional equipment. Training sessions can also be organized to help journalists carry out their work in extreme contexts, particularly on physical safety, first aid, digital security, psychological safety, and more.

Since February 24, 2022, marking the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 16 journalists have been killed, over 50 injured while reporting, and more than 20 Ukrainian journalists remain detained by Russia. While the situation is particularly alarming for journalists in occupied areas, all Ukrainian journalists and media outlets have been severely affected by the war and its consequences.

RSF’s first Press Freedom Centre was established in Lviv on March 10, 2022, just days after the invasion began. On May 17, 2022, RSF expanded its activities to Kyiv by opening a second Centre there, in partnership with the Institute of Mass Information (IMI), RSF’s longstanding partner.

Since their creation, RSF has supported more than 2,300 journalists and 283 media outlets through its Centres, in partnership with several Ukrainian organizations. To better adapt to journalists’ needs, the Kyiv Centre has centralized all activities and equipment since December 2024, following the closure of the Lviv Centre.

Click here to learn more about the Kyiv Press Freedom Center or contact [email protected].

To support journalists in the region affected by the war in Gaza, RSF inaugurated a regional Press Freedom Centre in Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, on March 21, 2024. For the establishment of the Beirut Press Freedom Centre, RSF partnered with its long-standing local partner, the Samir Kassir Foundation.

In two years, the Beirut Press Freedom Centre has become a key actor in protecting and supporting journalists in the region. Thanks to its local presence and network of partners, it has supported more than 430 Lebanese and foreign journalists.

In the face of a persisting unstable environment and renewed tensions in the region, the Centre works in coordination with local stakeholders and adapts its support according to journalists’ needs. In particular, it offers training adapted to the local context, and provides protective equipment (bulletproof vests, helmets and first-aid kits) to enable media professionals to carry out their work as safely as possible.

Click here to learn more about the Beirut Centre, or contact [email protected].

Since the military coup of 1 February 2021, Myanmar’s military junta has imposed a brutal crackdown on the media. In June 2026, RSF’s latest report on the use of national security as a weapon against journalism counted at least 40 journalists still detained and at least 220 arrested since the 2021 coup. This violence has triggered a mass exodus: more than 60 Myanmar-based media outlets now operate from abroad, mainly from Thailand.

It is in this context that RSF launched the Myanmar Press Freedom Project in October 2024 to support Myanmar journalists in exile. The mechanism, known as the Myanmar Press Freedom Project (MPFP), is based on a flexible and decentralised approach, similar to the Press Freedom Centres in Kyiv and Beirut.

Initially deployed in Chiang Mai, in northwestern Thailand, the project expanded to Mae Sot in July 2025 and then to Mae Hong Son in March 2026, in partnership with Docu Athan. This expansion into two Thai cities bordering Myanmar strengthens RSF’s presence close to journalists in exile or in transit.

Since its launch, the MPFP has supported more than 480 journalists, providing essential assistance through the donation of professional and technical equipment (laptops, phones, solar batteries, etc.), VPNs, satellite connections, cameras, secure workspaces, and training tailored to their needs on the ground. This support forms part of RSF’s broader efforts to maintain access to reliable information for the Myanmar population. In early August 2026, RSF and the independent media outlet Mizzima launched Voice of Independent Myanmar, a shortwave radio programme that complements the digital tools already distributed by the MPFP on the ground.

For more information, please see the Myanmar Press Freedom Project presentation or contact [email protected].