Since 3 May 2002, 119 journalists have found refuge at the Maison des Journalistes (MDJ) in Paris. A safe house for exiled journalists forced to flee their country where they are seriously threatened and often tortured because of their profession, the institution has attempted to make the transition to life in exile a little easier.

“The goal is to aid exiled journalists with the difficulties they face when fleeing countries where they are persecuted, adapting to life in France, and integrating into the French society,” director Philippe Spinau said to RAP 21.

Founded in 2002 by Spinau, a Radio France producer, along with fellow Radio France journalist Daniele Ohayon, the MDJ houses 30 journalists at a time for periods up to six months. During this period, with the aid of the MDJ volunteers, the journalists initiate the administrative procedures of requesting asylum.

“The journalists first go to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which verifies that the persons are indeed journalists and that they face exceptional persecution in their country. Then they are sent to us,” Spinau said.

Located in a former factory in the XV arrondissement of Paris, each of the house’s rooms are assigned to individual journalists and are named after a French media outlet sponsoring the house. To survive day to day, journalists receive a daily meal ticket, a public transportation pass, and calling cards. To date, the MDJ has housed journalists from 40 different countries.

Amadu Keita, a former journalist for The Boll newspaper in Sierra Leone is one such resident. Keita was imprisoned after he began investigating an estate that he claimed was purchased by president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah with government money in Guinea. Following his release, Keita chose to publish the information despite threats from the authorities.

“I was tortured in prison. Then when I was released I published an article about the president because I felt I needed to do it for my country. But that meant that the authorities were searching for me to kill me, so I had to flee,” Keita said.

Keita explained the difficulties he faced after being forced to leave in 2006 and arriving in France.

“When I arrived I had no one and I didn’t speak French,” he said. “I eventually found out about RSF and contacted them. They began helping me, and I thought my paperwork was being processed. But there was a big misunderstanding, and my application period for asylum ran out. I was thrown out of the house I was living in, and was sleeping in the hallway. Then RSF sent me to the MDJ.”

“I’m not in a stable state of mind, I’m always thinking and living in fear. It’s not easy in exile, and I don’t know if I will get my papers to stay in France. At least now I have a place to stay, and people who are helping me in the process. Before I had nothing,” Keita explained.

Emotional stress is inevitable for most journalists, and according to Spinau, the majority of the residents were tortured and even mutilated. The house has a psychologist on staff to help journalists deal with this stress. Other emotional traumas come from being forced to leave family behind.

“I have no one here. I left behind my wife and three children and I haven’t spoken or had contact with them since I left in 2006,” Keita added.

Beyond financial, administrative, and emotional help, Spinau explained that the MDJ aims at integrating the journalists into French society.

“We try to help integrate the journalists in France,” he said. “There are French courses for those who don’t speak the language and we teach them about French society. We even take them on cultural excursions.”

Within this process, integrating into French media has posed one of the biggest challenges for these journalists. Spinau explained how continuing their work is nearly impossible in France.

“First there is a problem with not knowing the language,” Spinau explained. “Also, the French media are often resistant to hiring on foreign journalists. Their professional statute is far from being recognized and the French unions say hiring foreigners takes away jobs from those already in France.”

While few residents have gone on to find work in the French media, the MDJ offers the journalists an opportunity to continue their work. The house publishes a weekly online journal called L’Oeil de l’exilé, allowing some to continue their trade and to show their competencies. The journal includes sound interviews, reports, texts, photographs and videos. Radio France has also broadcasted some journalists’ work weekly.

But for Keita, preserving his trade is far from his mind that is preoccupied with survival. “I just want to find a job and getting my legal papers. I hope to get in contact with my family and be able to send them money. I will do whatever job I can get.”

Since the MDJ opened in 2002, other similar projects have begun in Bristol, UK and Berlin, Germany. A new house is also underway near Cadiz, Spain.

“These journalists have an unbelievable amount of courage and I find it very honorable. But this courage has a price. That is why the house began,” Spinau concluded.

L’Oeil de l’exilé and the journalists in exile’s work can be found online at www.maisondesjournalistes.org