News

Europe’s recovery after the pandemic and Civil Society

17/06/2020

More than 30 civil rights organisations are asking EU institutions to safeguard the civil society sector in view of the European Recovery Plan after the pandemic

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Turkey: the Public Advertising Agency and bans implemented on newspapers

15/06/2020

20 international and local press freedom organisations and signatories are writing to the Public Advertising Agency (BIK) in Turkey in order to repeat the concerns about BIK’s criteria regarding the distribution of public advertisement and bans implemented on newspapers

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Press Cartoonists in Europe must be protected

11/06/2020

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners call for press cartoonists to be protected to ensure they can realise their right to free expression across Europe

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Defamation and prison: the decision of the Italian Constitutional Court is a first step forward

10/06/2020

The organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) welcome the decision by the Italian Constitutional Court to refer a decision on whether to abolish prison sentences for criminal defamation in relation to journalists and media workers to the Italian Parliament. Qui la versione italiana

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Ending SLAPPs, Gag Lawsuits in Europe, to Protect Democracy and Fundamental Rights

08/06/2020

More than 100 press freedom and human rights organizations have signed a statement asking EU institutions to tackle the problem of strategic lawsuits against public participation, an issue that limits freedom of expression and hits freedom of speech with a dangerous chilling effect. Here the letter:

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Jail and defamation: an international call to the Italian Constitutional Court

05/06/2020

Waiting for the hearing of the Consitutional Court scheduled for June 9th, the partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response call to the Court to cancel prison as a punishment for defamation. Qui la versione italiana

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UK: too many violations and bans to media outlets

29/05/2020

The Media Freedom Rapid Response is calling the UK government to lift the bans against openDemocracy, the Sunday Times and any other outlet prevented from asking questions at the daily news briefings

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Threats against journalists in Northern Ireland must stop

21/05/2020

OBCT joins Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners, press freedom and freedom of expression organisations, journalists’ organisations, journalists and media workers in condemning threats against journalists in Northern Ireland

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Letter to the European Commission: legal abuse of lawsuits is a threat to journalists

20/05/2020

SLAPPs, strategic lawsuits against public participation, are a danger for media freedom and together with other media freedom and human rights ngos we signed a letter to the European Commission urging European institutions to find different solutions at different levels. Here the letter to Ms Pia Lindholm, Deputy Head of Unit for Civil Justice, Directorate-General Justice and Consumers of the European Commission

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Joint Emergency Appeal for Journalism and Media Support

15/05/2020

To mark World Press Freedom Day 2020, we signed the appeal promoted by the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD )

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