Truth Defence exists to confront attacks on progressive political voices, whistleblowers and truth tellers of all kinds which have become increasingly prevalent in democratic societies, including the UK. These attacks have cumulatively marked a dangerously repressive turn in countries where the fundamental rights of free speech and access to fair and accurate information have long been taken for granted.
Efforts to discredit dissidents and marginalise dissent have taken a variety of forms including:
‘lawfare’ waged against progressive and radical left activists, journalists and scholars
gross mistreatment and exploitation of whistleblowers by governments, corporations and civil society groups
the manipulation of public discourse by powerful interests in order to delegitimise progressive political leaders and movements
Our work spans a wide range of actions and outputs including articles, reports, events and campaigns. Our overarching mission is to support and draw a common thread between all those who face retaliation for speaking truth to power.