The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is the only regional organization focused on promoting and protecting

press freedom Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exerc ...

and

freedom of expression Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The rights, right to freedom of expression has been r ...

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

. Established as a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

in November 1998, the alliance works to unite independent

journalists A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

and press-related organizations in the region into a force for free expression

advocacy Advocacy is an Action (philosophy), activity by an individual or advocacy group, group that aims to influence decision making, decisions within political, economic, and social institutions. Advocacy includes activities and publications to infl ...

and mutual protection. SEAPA's board of trustees is composed of representatives from the alliance's Founding Members, including: * Thai Journalists Association * Institute for Studies on Free Flow of Information (Indonesia) *

Alliance of Independent Journalists The Alliance of Independent Journalists (, abbreviated as AJI) is an Indonesian organization that promotes press freedom in the country. The AJI was founded in 1994 by Satrio Arismunandar, Ahmad Taufik, Goenawan Mohamad, the founder and editor ...

(Indonesia) *

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) is a private, non-stock, non-profit foundation in the Philippines that has focused its endeavor on press freedom protection along with the establishment of a framework of responsibility fo ...

(Philippines) * Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism SEAPA is registered in

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

as a regional

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

. It has offices in Manila and houses its main secretariat in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...

. SEAPA is an associate member of the

International Freedom of Expression Exchange IFEX, formerly International Freedom of Expression Exchange, is a global network of more than 119 independent non-governmental organisations that work at a local, national, regional, or international level to defend and promote freedom of expre ...

(IFEX), a global network of non-governmental organisations that work to promote and defend the right to free expression.

Members

The following are SEAPA's member organizations:

Cambodia

* Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) * Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM)

Indonesia

* Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (Alliance of Independent Journalists, AJI-Indonesia) * Institut Studi Arus Informasi (Institute for Studies on the Free Flow of Information, ISAI, Indonesia) * Forum Jurnalis Perempuan – Indonesia (Forum of Women Journalists in Indonesia, FJP Indonesia) – associate member

Malaysia

* Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ, Malaysia)

Myanmar

* Burma News InternationalBNI-wide (BNI) – associate member * Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN) – associate member

Philippines

* Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR, Philippines) * Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) * National Union of Journalists in the Philippines – associate member

Thailand

* Thai Journalists Association (TJA)

Timor Leste (Timor Lorosae)

* Asosiasaun Jornalista Timor Lorosa’e (Timor Leste Journalist Association, AJTL)

External links

SEAPA blog

References

Philippine journalism organizations Freedom of expression organizations Organizations established in 1988 Southeast Asia Organizations based in Manila {{journalism-stub